Scholarship Winner 2006 : Mike Geary

A 3.96 GPA student (depicted with parents, coaches and AD), seeking to go to Williams in the fall, started running in Middle School under the guidance of Coach Nate Huckle. Through his years he helped grow the program to the degree it is today by not only soliciting members, but mentoring them as well. As he got older, his running ability progressed as well. He was an integral part in getting the team together carpooling for runs during the summer and weekends, mentoring the young ones coming into the scene and acting as the stable force for the team. This past season his team worked diligently to earn a spot to go to States, when unfortunately his little brother, whom he solicited to run instead of play soccer, fell 75 meters from the finish in a harrowing attempt to get up and place well for the Brighton Boys. Indeed, the Victor Boys had the victory over Brighton and of course the team was crushed, meanwhile his little brother feeling that he was to blame for the defeat. Mike's ability to bounce back allowed him to not only help his brother but bring the team back together and focus on the bigger picture as to "Why they Run".

Here is Mike's Essay on "Why he Runs".

When I started my running career in the fall of 7th grade I had the intentions of doing a sport and maybe enjoying it. That attitude has since shifted and now I run for entirely different reasons. Running for me is meditative, it helps me relax after a stressful school day and gives me a nice break before a night filled with homework. Through running I’ve learned a lot about the sport and the people who are involved. One thing I love about runners is that they are all genuinely great people. I feel that surrounding myself with running has in turn made me a better person. I’ve grown up with the people I run with on my team and when I leave for college next year I’ll be leaving a big part of me behind. I always look forward to being with my teammates and can always count on them for support when I need it. Running has opened a lot of doors for me and would have missed out on a lot of things if it weren’t for the sport. I’ve met some of my best friends through running and have had the opportunity to travel to different races. In addition to helping myself improve, I love helping the younger runners when they have questions. Seeing them improve is almost more exciting than when I get a PR. So when people ask me why I run, the best response I can give them is: “You have to experience it for yourself”.