5:02 p.m.
5:05 p.m.
5:08 p.m.
The Heartache
The Quivering Lip
The Confident
Smile
While His
Athletes Chase After Personal Records,
Sumner Captures Essence of Personal Responsibility
By Rich Gonzalez
DyeStat/DyeStatCal
WALNUT
-- Seven days ago, Shelby Buckley was approaching the top of her game.
Fifth individually at the Orange County championships (behind three
FootLocker Nationals candidates), she had just played a pivotal role
in helping her Corona del Mar teammates win the overall crown.
Seven days later, she felt at the bottom
of the heap. Eighty-eight full seconds behind her front-running teammate,
who was just 26 seconds ahead the weekend before. The team had won again,
this time at Friday's Mt. SAC Invitational, but it was clear Buckley
felt she hadn't done her part.
When queried by a media member as to
how her race went, she did not mince words: "Horrible."
Minutes later, her eyes were casting
downward, her shoulders were slumped and her confidence was shot.
Enter into the equation the Magical Mentor,
Bill Sumner.
His nationally ranked girls team had
just won commandingly. His state-ranked boys team was limbering up and
ready to do battle. The madness at America's largest cross-country event
was now revving into high gear.
And there was Sumner, darting through
the mass of humanity and making a beeline toward the team tent. Time
was charging forward, chaos was abound. And all Bill Sumner wanted to
do was tune everything else out and focus on reprogramming the mindset
of one young Miss Shelby Buckley.
The same Miss Buckley who, in frustration,
snapped back at her coach, "Okay! Okay!" in between gasping
breaths and fatigued strides when he offered words of advice during
her race.
"I'm like, 'Naaawwwww. Naaawww.
That's not the way we (handle) things,' " Sumner said. "(She
was) frustrated because she was fading (as the race went on). She was
fading because we had a hard week. We worked hard on Monday (9 miles
total, including 3.3 miles of speedwork), we worked hard on Wednesday
(three-mile tempo followed by a hard mile close), and here we are on
Friday again."
Sumner found Buckley, put his arm around
her shoulders and pulled her aside to compare mental notes. As teammates
dropped to the ground and began doing their customary post-race routine
of push-ups and sit-ups, Sumner began to connect with Buckley, her parents
25 feet away and knowing she was in excellent care.
Entering the conversation, Buckley was
clearly dejected, displeased by her showing. Even words from her coach
weren't having much effect at first. But Sumner delved further, to get
at the heart of the issue and open the channels of communication. Buckley,
her eyes beginning to well up and an uncontrolled quiver taking over
her lower lip, began quietly spilling out her frustration.
Knowing Sumner, he then likely reminded her
of the positives, the big plan in the works, the possibilities, the
support system around her, and the shining outlook for the future. After
seven minutes of quality communication, eye-to-eye contact and forthright
exchange -- with thousands buzzing around nearby -- the words were hitting
home. Buckley's reservoirs of confidence being restored, a genuine and
winning smile finally began cracking across her freckly and charming
face.
"(The first few minutes after a
race) is the most important time," Sumner shares. "After the
race, I talk to them, and do reviews. The other six girls, they did
pretty much what they wanted to. For them, it was, 'Great job. Let's
get back to work.' Shelby didn't go as planned. She needed that. She
needed me for seven minutes, and so she gets it."
And the evolving episode of a dejected
state, then an emotionally wrought state and then a reinspired outlook?
"That's the way we do it,"
Sumner concluded. "She had a bit of a frown, she had a bit of a
tear, and then she left smiling.
"If more people would take seven
minutes, they'd get more smiles."
--------
Like so many teens facing a myriad of
pressures these days -- whether it be academics, peer relationships,
athletics, etc. -- Buckley wasn't having a good day. She needed a mentor.
She needed THE mentor. The soothing voice and words of wisdom from the
59-year-old with the salt-and-pepper-colored and thick Steve Prefontaine-like
mustache was just what the doctor ordered.
Sumner has nearly a dozen assistant coaches/parent
chaperones to help with the weekly duties, with each filling a vital
role. He may know workouts, but an exercise physiologist in the mix
may know more. He may understand health and diet, but a nutritionist-like
assistant may specialize in it. He may comprehend biomechanics, but
maybe someone else around him can shape the essence of stride efficiency
to athletes just a bit better. But when it comes to "connecting"
with his pupils, Sumner is the Master Teacher.
Words are immersed in experience; messages
drenched with wisdom. Combined with his positive nature, it creates
a magic potion which has fueled confidence, growth, and success in the
thousands of athletes (either through his high school teams or his massive
Orange County-based running club). True, it has fueled jealousy among
some in his profession, but Sumner does not worry, so long as his charges
receive the attention they deserve. It fuels success all around. Short
term and long term.
"We've get 10 girls that can make
this year's varsity team, which is neat," he explained. "We're
not coming (to the Mt. SAC Invitational) to race hard. We're coming
here to practice for the CIF championships"
But it's so much more than that..
"I've got seven kids leaving to see schools
(for college visitations) tomorrow," he continues. "Three
guys and four girls. Yale... Harvard... good schools."
Sumner readily admits its a luxury to
be able to arrive at a gargantuan-sized meet such as Mt. SAC and "practice"
certain skills for later, yet still be able to run so fast right now.
Some will undoubtedly scoff that success comes easier at a Division
III school rather than a larger-sized Division I situation. But he is
quick to remind that this year's Corona del Mar roster spills over with
226 kids in a school of just 1400 students. What happened if he had
3,000 students, like some schools in the state do? Would he have nearly
half a thousand teens at his daily practices?
Regardless of numbers, it would not change
Sumner's trademark approach.
"I'm nervous, cuz that's just my
style," he concedes. "I'll go home tonight and think about
all the things I can try and fix overall (from today's race). A lot
of people say that I'm a bit of a perfectionist."
He just wants to get it right for when
the biggest races come forward.
Make no mistake about it ... today was
just the dress rehearsal.
When Corona del Mar's girls team returns
to the famed Mt. SAC course for the section championships four weekends
from now, it'll be The Big Show.
Shelby Buckley and her teammates will
be ready ... The Master Mentor will make sure of it.
is published by 