Basil Hawk in Summer

Red-tailed Hawk at Basil Marella Park(8/29/15)

To briefly resuscitate a tired metaphor, time does indeed fly. I took these pictures during girls' cross-country practice wa-a-a-a-y back in late August. Our team trains on our "home course" at Basil Marella Park in the beautiful suburb of Greece, New York. While spotting hawks on the Monroe County expressway system is a very common occurrence, I had not previously been capable of pulling over to the side of the road to take any photos (though the idea still often crosses my mind).

Like their cousins the American Robin and Northern Cardinal, the Red-tailed hawk can be frequently observed in Western New York. As written on the Canisius Ambassadors for Conservation website, Red-tailed Hawks "[are] one of the most widely-spread hawks found in the western hemisphere."

Because Red-tailed Hawks are so ubiquitous as to be nearly invisible, my wife (and the student-athletes I coach) think it goofy that I rush to the car to grab my camera. As I have often written, however, it is precisely because they are so common, that I find them so interesting.

(8/29/15)

Someone is hungry! (8/29/15)

OXC Men at 2014 Atlantic Regionals

OXC didn't win the first 100 meters, but turned it up when it counted!

This morning the college my son runs for, Oneonta State, participated in the Atlantic Regional Championships held this year in our neck of the woods, Rochester, New York. This was the second time this seasons the team had competed on the course. While I suspect the lads felt some disappointment following their team performance two weeks ago at SUNYACs, it was clear early on that the real Red Dragons came into this meet very focused. The weather was crisp (about 38°F but feeling cooler), but the sunshine and energy from the teams and fans would not allow for the meet to be anything but a celebratory one.

Once agin, the SUNY Oneonta Athletic department's website has a terrific wrap-up article for the hard core details. I tried to my best to get around and get pictures, though it can be difficult being an engaged fan (cheering and paying attention to your team) and take pictures. Events such as today's are to be watched and savored, so that was the approach I took for much of the race.

Coach Angelo Posillico gives some final suggestions to the lads as they complete
run-outs at the line.

Getting ready to go!

The support and respect each squad has for the other is impressive.

The athletes came over a slight hill like a wave.

The largest crowd I'd experienced at a college xc meet, vocal and positive!

My son and his mustache went out at a good clip; his teammate running
with him demonstrated early on that they would work as a pack.

Oneonta's top runner all season, Anthony Lupia, came through with another
bad-a**, team-leading performance!

One-two-three Red Dragons following the plan: work together!

Solid.

Sophomore David Busby (center) put in a very confident performance at today's meet,
the best of his season.

Still near the top of the lead pack, Lupia holds off the competition.

Left to right, Busby, seniors Mike Didas and Charles Remillard, with Jack
right behind, run on guts to keep the pack together. 

Oddly the mustache actually contributes to positive aerodynamics here!

Anthony Lupia finishes 14th overall to lead the team to a fifth place finish!

Coach Angelo congratulates the entire team for putting together the school's best showing ever!

Scott, Busby, Didas and Remillard following their big stones runs.

Great to see so many Section V guys in the races doing great things.

The O-State fans traveled to cheer on their Red Dragons!

OXC alum and beard legend Tom Haskins (center) turns out to cheer on the Red Dragons!

Whiel this could be tejh final race of this very successful season, there is still a chance the team coudl recieve one of 16 at-large berths for the NCAA championships next weekend. A total of 32 teams make the championships with 16 of the berths being automatic from the top-two teams in each of the eight regional meets. Either way, today was a beautiful way to onclude (and celebrate) a wonderful OXC season!

OXC Men at Geneseo Invite

A quick 45-minute drive down 390 South out to beautiful Letchworth State Park was all it took to catch the Oneonta Men's and Women's Cross-Country teams in action this morning in the Geneseo Invitational. Both teams have been running well of late and as a result have found themselves ranked regionally. This meet was just a touch smaller the Yellowjacket Invite two weeks earlier, and was staged at the same location of last year's Atlantic Regionals.

It was a fantastic day for a cross-country race, and the OXC men placed third overall, posting some very favorable times led by sophomore Anthony Lupia's 9th place overall finish! My son Jack ran a PR for the course to finish second on the team, and 17th overall.

OXC Women at Yellowjacket Invite

In a change from last year's college cross-country invitationals, this year the men's races go off before the women's. Last year, because I was unfamiliar with the courses, I enjoyed watching the Oneonta Women's team race so that I could get a sense as to where the best vantage points were. Well that, and they were very good.

This year, I have found myself staying to watch them compete because once again they have a strong squad and occasionally, saw as the case at this weekend's Yellowjacket Invitational sponsored by the University of Rochester at Genesee Valley Park. As an added bonus, there were athletes competing for other schools that I coached when they ran in high school, so it was nice to see both Oneonta's teams, and my former student-athletes have a measure of success at the meet.