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Last Saturday the Landmark Athletic Department welcomed 465 athletes from 30 Independent schools to Gordon College for the NEPSTA-D3 Championship meet aka “New Englands”. 

Thank you so much to all the volunteers who made the day such a success, especially our first-time clerks: Ms. Walkowicz, Mrs. O'Riordan, and the most efficient line clerk these eyes have ever seen, Mr. Murphy. 

It may have been their first time clerking, but like one coach said, “I would never have guessed it!” Considering the track events finished a half-hour ahead of schedule, I’d say he’s right! Simply unheard of for a meet of that size. 

Special thanks to our stellar crew of Utility Volunteers: Bill Barrett, Doug Musco, Dan Ahearn, Ruth Bossler, Steve Walkowicz, Chase Wonderlic, and hurdle crew pit-boss George Lynch. They were on it, anything and everything from keeping the track clear, strapping on a walkie-talkie and giving status reports, and making a run for a vegetarian-friendly sandwich! 

In a follow-up email from our timing company who has seen hundreds of meets, he mentioned that Landmark has “some really great people working with the kids”. This group was first and foremost thinking about the experience for the athletes. They showed the face and soul of the Landmark Community to such a large group. 

Thank you to our excellent coaching staff of Tim Burke, Mari Rivera, and Mike Tucker, led by head coach Christina Scanlon, for stepping up to do whatever was needed to help administer the meet, while coaching the kids to 3 school records and tons of PR’s! 

We had the best announcer you could ask for, thank you, to the smooth-voiced "Uncle Paul" for the ambiance, and to all the student volunteers and the amazing showing of Landmark Track Alum... "Hurdle Crew Assemble!"

Lastly, huge thanks to Landmark School's Athletic Director, Brook Sumner. Brook and intern-extraordinaire, Evan Kane, were there until the last man, seeing teams off and emptying trash cans until almost 7:00 p.m., but even more so than the day of (which was huge) Brook was instrumental in the build-up to this event.

This was the first NEPSTA Track Championship since 2018, and for many athletes it was their first-ever. Thank you to the Landmark Community for providing this opportunity for so many kids, and for putting the kind, compassionate, professional nature of our community on display. It did not go unnoticed.

Let’s do it again (in a few years)!

By Coach O'Riordan