To the editor:
As my son prepares to head off to college later this month, I was reflecting on his time at Marblehead High School. He had some great teachers and experiences, but his time running for the cross country and track & field teams stand out. Not surprising given how much time he invested in them (11 of his 12 athletic seasons). Also not surprising given the success of the teams. For example, last fall’s boys XC team finished 8th in Division 2 at the MIAA Meet of Champions, a division that has nearly 70 teams.
But I attribute my son’s positive experience primarily to the coaches of these teams: Brian Heenan (boys XC), Brian Herlihy (girls XC, track & field distance),and Nolan Raimo (head coach of track & field). These coaches consistently build competitive teams that welcome everyone who wants to participate.
There are nearly 20 events in track & field and Coach Raimo encourages athletes to try different events with the thinking you might discover you can high jump as well as you can run. I can also think of plenty of examples where they taught the kids about leadership, being a good member of this community and so on.
In short, these are the types of adult leaders you want your kids around in high school. Please join me in thanking these three (and other assistant coaches on both teams). And I encourage all Marblehead students to get involved with these teams; there’s plenty of time to get in shape for XC this fall!
Pete Adams
Guernsey Street
