Brenden Van Syckle Story

 For the Love of the Game

“High school sports: Where lessons of life are still being learned, and where athletes still compete for the love of the game and their teammates.”

—Michael Powers

Hobbies can provide an essential element in our lives. Activities of interest, such as music, gardening, and athletics, can help to balance all facets of life. Harper Creek senior, Brenden Van Syckle, has found a hobby that has been a driving force in his life. Football has been a common interest for his mom, Jodi, and dad, Mike, since they met while working at Battle Creek’s Southwestern Junior High in 1998. You could say that they are a football family. For Brenden, football has become something that he has excelled in, but is much more than this. It has given him friendships and taught him lessons that have guided him in his growth and development. His participation in football has provided amazing memories for his family and blessed him and his father with a shared passion and special bond. 

         Brenden was born in May of 2007, the first of two children Jodi and Mike were blessed with. Brenden’s sister, Lily, a freshman at Harper Creek, was born in March 2010. Football has always defined the Van Syckle family. It would eventually take up the majority of Brenden’s free time, starting later in elementary school, but he also had other common childhood interests early in life. He talked about his infatuation with the movie Cars as a toddler. “Lightning McQueen was my first hero. I had the entire Cars set. I was always playing with them. I can remember one time dumping the sugar container in the middle of the living room couch and making roads in the snow. I am still a Cars fan to this day.” If football is the first love of the Van Syckle family, then dogs might be the second. “We have always had dogs,” Brenden explained.  “It may sound cliche, but when I was in elementary school, my dog, Luca Brasi, actually ate my homework once in elementary school.”

Brenden has followed in his father’s footsteps as a competitive high school football player. Mike played on the gridiron as a defensive lineman, back in the eighties, for the Battle Creek Central Bearcats and later for Northwood University. He returned home from Northwood to help coach the Bearcats. When Brenden was just a baby, Mike and Jodi had visions of him going on to play football for Battle Creek Central. Mike talked about Brenden’s first experience on the football field. “After Brenden was born, Jodi and I made a stop at Bearcat Stadium on our way home from the hospital. We carried Brenden through the stadium and onto the football field.” It was the first of many moments that Brenden would experience on the gridiron.

Mike and Jodi were all in when Brenden began playing football. Watching him has blessed them with special memories and moments of joy. They have both made an effort to savor these moments while also reminding Brenden that they would support him with whatever interests he chooses to pursue. Jodi reflected on this. “Mike and I are huge football fans and have enjoyed watching Brenden play football, but we have always told him that if there is a time when he doesn’t want to play, we would support him.”

When Jodi and Mike started their family, they had initially planned on their children starting their school experience by going to school with Jodi at Wattles Park before making the transition to Battle Creek Central starting in middle school. Brenden reflected on his early school experiences. “I loved school right away, beginning in kindergarten. All of my teachers at Wattles Park were great. I was especially fond of Mrs. Shipley, my kindergarten teacher; Mrs. Kloosterman, my third-grade teacher; and Mrs. Bartholomew, my fourth-grade teacher. I played football with my friends almost every day during recess. This was always fun. Coming to school each day with Mom was special, although there were times when I wished that I didn’t have to come in early and leave late.”

Brenden made many friends at Wattles Park Elementary. Mike and Jodi soon realized that transitioning from Harper Creek to Battle Creek Public wasn’t in the cards for Brenden. He wanted to stay at Harper Creek to continue his school experience with the friends he had made at Wattles Park. Playing football with his classmates was also something that Brenden desired. He wasn’t able to play rocket football with his buddies, which seemed to make him want to team up with them even more in middle school and high school. Jodi reflected on this. “He wasn’t allowed to play rocket football for Harper Creek because the league that they were a part of had size limitations. Brenden was too big to play.” Brenden still played rocket football outside of Harper Creek’s league. Mike helped coach his team and continued in this role through Brenden’s junior year.  “We signed him up to play for New Level Sports,” Jodi explained. “The only size restrictions they had were that he couldn’t run the ball. One of the great experiences that Brenden had playing for New Level Sports was playing with his teammates at Ford Field during halftime of one of the Lions’ games.” Brenden enjoyed his experience with New Level Sports. Mike and Jodi were happy with it also, but they officially decided to have Brenden continue his schooling and football career with Harper Creek, going into his sixth-grade year.

Brenden’s transition to middle school was also a bit of a transition for Jodi, with Brenden not coming to school with her each day. Brenden made the jump to a different school easily. He was finally able to join his classmates on the football field. Brenden retained his kindergarten through fourth-grade friendships while meeting new friends and forming relationships with another group of teachers. One teacher in particular who made an impact on his educational experience was Mr. McManus, one of his English teachers. 

Brenden finally got his first opportunity to play football for Harper Creek in sixth grade, but would have to wait until seventh grade to join his class. He was moved up to the seventh-grade team as a sixth grader, and he remained on the seventh-grade team the following year, where he and his teammates would begin a six-year stretch of building on prosperity and team chemistry each year. Brenden enjoyed success playing football for New Level Sports and developed a love for the game, but playing for Harper Creek in middle school gave him a new perspective. He explained. “When I finally started playing football for Harper Creek in sixth grade, I realized what it was like to have a community around me.” This observation is something that many, including staff and students, experience during their time at Harper Creek. 

Brenden made the move from middle school with many established friendships. He transitioned to a new group of teachers, helping to make school a pleasant experience, including one of his math teachers, Mr. Dell, who was one of his most influential teachers.  Memories in the classroom were important, with those made as an athlete making a lasting impression as well. For many athletes, dreams of conference titles and state championships begin in middle school. Brenden and his teammates had these same visions starting in sixth grade.  As they began their high school careers, there would be a shift with the same grade teammates, with some playing on the freshman team and others on the junior varsity team in ninth grade. As sophomores, some played on the junior varsity team while others were moved up to varsity. Finally, as juniors, they would all be together, and they would get a glimpse of their potential moving forward in their last two years. Brenden played on the junior varsity team as a freshman and was moved up to varsity for the playoffs that year. He continued as a varsity player in his sophomore season.  Brenden reflects on this journey. “Some of my best memories as a high school football player were building on the success of each season with the milestones that we achieved. Our record improved each year, and we were able to win an outright league championship this past season, something that hadn’t happened at Harper Creek in a long time. I’m satisfied with what our team has built over the years. We had one of the most prolific offenses in school history. We wanted a state championship, so the way it ended was disappointing, but I wouldn’t change  anything.” Brenden and his teammates were primed for a run to the state championship in 2024 with a dominant offensive line and high-powered offense, but their season would be cut short with a loss in the first round of the playoffs. 

 Brenden is known as Bigg Cat by teammates, classmates, coaches, and teachers. Mike gave Brenden this nickname when he was younger, in reference to Brenden possibly playing for the Bearcats in high school. The nickname just kind of stuck, and it kind of set the tone for Brenden’s lifetime memories created by being a part of a football family. He reflected on this. “I always enjoyed going out to eat at the Moonraker with some of the girls from the volleyball team and my football teammates after each game. One of my favorite memories from my senior season was at Hastings. We were down inside the ten-yard line looking for a touchdown, and I blocked their linebacker to the back of the end zone and into the student section.”

Brenden has earned some individual honors, including being selected first team all-city and first team all-conference his senior year and being voted most improved player for his team his senior year. These awards are a credit to his hard work, but Brenden prides himself on being a leader for his team more than individual accolades. 

The camaraderie that he and his teammates have built has provided inspiration for Brenden, but the influence from his coaches has also been a huge factor in his development. Specifically, he credits Coach Jerry Miller, Coach Beniah Jones, and Coach Hank Williams for helping him to grow as a person and football player, with Coach Bilger providing the biggest impact, second to his dad. Coach Bilger reflects on how Brenden has made an impression on him. “I’ve had the chance to mentor Bigg Cat both as a teacher and a football coach. On the football field, Bigg Cat has shown tremendous perseverance to get where he is today. As a sophomore, he went back and forth between the JV and varsity rosters, trying to earn a varsity spot as nose guard on the defensive line. He had begun to grow into his body, going into his junior season, so we shifted his role from defense to offense. He was a natural fit at right tackle, where he proved to be a dominating presence on the offensive line.” Coach Bilger described what makes Brenden special as a football player. “Looking back at the three years I’ve spent with Bigg Cat, I can say that it's been a blessing. Some people just love playing the game, but Bigg Cat also enjoys being a student of the game. Most kids have only a casual interest in the strategy behind football, but Bigg Cat is the type of player who always has his nose in film.”

Brenden turned into a student of the game. It seemed the more he learned, the more he wanted to learn. As a high school and college football player and in his experience coaching for Battle Creek Central, Mike developed many connections within the sport. Through the years, he and Brenden have participated in some of the most prestigious football camps in and around Michigan. These camps have helped Mike as a coach and developed Brenden’s expertise for the game of football while also giving him exposure beyond Battle Creek. Brenden explained the gratitude he feels for these opportunities. “It was eye-opening as a child being exposed to high-profile coaches and athletes at some of the football camps that Dad and I attended. These experiences helped to develop a desire inside of me to someday make a living through football as a coach or as a player. I have been able to meet many elite football players, including retired Detroit Lions players Herman Moore and Lomas Brown.” 

Brenden’s physical presence gives him a leg up as a football player. His three-hundred-thirty-pound, six feet seven inch frame makes him an imposing force for high school defenders to deal with. His eagerness to learn the nuances of the game has upped the ante. Mike talked about another influence on Brenden’s football knowledge. “Brenden has helped me coach a semi-pro team, the Kalamazoo Titans, each summer since 2018. We won the national championship in 2020. As an athlete, this experience has helped him to evolve as a coach on the field.”

Brenden’s size, the success he has experienced individually and as a part of a cohesive team, the connections he has made at the camps that he has participated in, and his experience coaching a semi-pro football team have laid the foundation for football beyond high school. He talks about the next chapter in his football career. “I had some college coaches reach out to me during my sophomore and junior years, but it really picked up in my senior year. My first official offer came from Davenport University back in June. Other schools that have recruited me include Central Michigan University, Adrian College, the University of Olivet, Wayne State University, Madonna University, and Siena Heights University. I also received an offer from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, this past season’s JUCO national champion. I committed to Davenport on February 5th. I’m excited that my teammate Zach Kitchens is going to Davenport with me.” Brenden wants to get a secondary education degree from Davenport University. His dream is to play professional football, but he also would love to teach and coach football at the high school level.

Now that Brenden’s high school football career is finished, it is the end of an amazing ride for him and his teammates. The games, practices, and time spent with teammates are all moments to cherish. He and Mike have also been blessed with some amazing memories. The unique relationship that he and his dad have shared as athlete and coach is something that both Brenden and Mike will forever be grateful for. Mike talked about what it has meant to him to be involved in Brenden’s football life. “While on the field, we are coach and athlete, but I have also been blessed to go back and forth between the roles of coach and dad. The vast amount of time that we have spent together on the road at football camps has strengthened our bond. It has given us time to share our common passion for football, but also gifted us with moments of enjoying the father-son relationship by just hanging out in hotel rooms and the car as we travel.” Brenden feels fortunate as well for how football has strengthened the relationship he has with his dad. “It's been great having my dad coach me through the years. I couldn’t have asked for a better coach. It’s always been a privilege. I have never been treated as the coach’s son. My dad got an opportunity to help coach for Kalamazoo Central this year. It was odd not to have him coach me this year. I always joke with my teammates that Dad might be a great coach, but you don’t have to ride home with him.”

There is no doubt that football has always been Brenden’s passion, but he has also enjoyed being a part of Harper Creek’s track and field team. He reflected on his time in this sport. “I have been on the track team since my freshman year. Initially, I decided to join the team because I was bored and didn’t want to go home after school.” Brenden became more serious about track in his junior year, putting in more effort. His work was evident in the improvement he made as a shot put thrower. “My sophomore year, I threw the shot twenty-nine feet. In my junior year, I made great progress, with my best throw being forty-three and a half feet. My goal for my senior season is to throw further than last year and possibly hit fifty feet. Last year, we won our first-ever school state championship. It was amazing to be a part of that.” 

As a Wattles Park Elementary school teacher, I have experienced those moments of inspiration when a child’s eyes light up with the realization that he or she has mastered a skill, such as reading or fluently multiplying single-digit numbers. The moments of excitement that we share with students are endless. The last day of school each year, when our fourth-grade students walk through our halls one last time, is always bittersweet. Seeing, hearing, and reading about the successes of our former students years later is always joyous. Although it’s been more than a decade, it seems like it was just yesterday when Brenden and his classmates started their journey at Harper Creek as Kindergarten students. Jodi has experienced this with Brenden as a Wattles Park teacher, but also as a mom. She reflected on the emotions of a parent getting ready to send a child out into the world. “I am incredibly proud of Brenden. He has always been a leader as a football player and as a student. He has accomplished what he has set out to do. He has never wavered from his goal.”

The relationship between a brother and sister can certainly have its share of highs and lows. There is always potential for rewards coming with these sibling interactions. Lily explained how this relationship has played out with her and her big brother. “Brenden is an inspiration. He is someone I look up to. He is difficult to deal with and annoying sometimes, but he has always been there for me. I have enjoyed watching him play football.” 

The reference to how it takes a village to raise a child is somewhat cliche, but there are many examples of how true this is. Brenden has received support at home, from his teachers, from his peers, and from the community. These supports, combined with his internal drive, have helped him to succeed as a student and an athlete and will serve him well throughout his life. He is just one example of many students that Harper Creek can be proud of. 

Becky Gardner Story

                                                                 Wearing Many Hats

“The duties of a teacher are neither few nor small, but they elevate the mind and give energy to the character.”

—-Dorothea Dix

A career in education comes with outlined job duties. Differing roles among teachers come with specific responsibilities. Regardless of the expectations placed on teachers, there are often tasks taken on that don’t necessarily fall into the job description. Meeting the unique and many needs of the students and, at times, the families in our school community involves tasks that don’t always directly align with teaching the core curriculum. Educating students goes beyond basic academic skills as we strive for growth in the whole child. In the past twenty-four years, Becky Gardner has demonstrated the concept of wearing multiple hats in her pursuit of supporting students, families, staff, and administration for Harper Creek Community Schools.

Becky was born and raised in Mid Michigan, where she was involved in many activities as a child, prepping her for juggling multiple responsibilities simultaneously. She talks about her childhood. “I was born July 12, 1978, in Owosso, Michigan, as the oldest of three siblings.  My brother, Josh, was born in 1981, and my sister, Jenessa, was born in 1985.” Becky and her siblings were raised in Corunna, Michigan, where they lived in the same house their entire childhood. They attended Corunna Schools from Kindergarten all the way through graduation as second-generation students. “My parents, Randy and Darla Luft, also graduated from Corunna. Both are retired now. Dad worked for General Motors, and Mom worked for Delta Dental.” 

Being immersed in sports would become an important component of Becky’s school experience with her participation in athletics in middle school and high school. This athletic foundation was established early on for the Luft siblings. “My family has always been very active,” Becky recalls. “Both Mom and Dad played recreational sports as adults. We spent much of our time as children at the softball field during the summers.” Organized activities helped to fuel a mentality of exercise for Becky and her siblings, but staying active went beyond sporting venues. “We enjoyed camping and outdoor activities growing up. Much of our time was spent riding bikes. I remember riding often to my grandparents’ house. The farmhouse we lived in was surrounded by fields. I enjoyed watching the area farmers bale hay during the summers and harvest crops each fall. When I was little, there was an incident involving me following my dog Kelly into the cornfield behind our house. My parents called my grandparents and aunt to come help them sweep the cornfield. I don’t really remember it exactly, but they talk about it often, and how terrifying it was because the corn was above my head, and at the back of the field was a creek. I was just a toddler at the time.”

Spending time with extended family was an important part of Becky’s childhood. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins would gather together for not only the holidays but all year round. Becky reflects on a tradition that was established and continues today. “My entire family on the Luft side worked on a Christmas tree farm and ran different tree lots throughout my childhood. This was a year-round job when I was little, which included shearing and painting the trees during the off-season. My family owned land near Cadillac where we planted, grew, and harvested trees for many years. We would drive to Cadillac and cut trees in November and haul them back to Corunna the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. The tradition continues today, though it’s a little different. My brother and parents both still run Christmas tree lots back home.”  Each year, before the holiday madness begins, the Luft family enjoys a cherished family tradition.  “We all gather on Thanksgiving Day, eat dinner, and then the women make wreaths in the barn to take home for the holidays while the men shoot at clay targets out back. Then we spend Black Friday setting up the Christmas tree lots and selling wreaths and trees.” Even after moving away from Corunna, Becky has stayed involved with this holiday ritual. “Since graduating from high school, I have gone back to help every year during the holiday season. My husband, Doug, and my boys Carson and Cooper also help out each year. Thanksgiving weekend is always a busy weekend for us.” 

Becky was exposed to many things growing up in the Luft family. She thrived with this model and helped to shape how she approached life. Her upbringing paved her way for her to be a well-rounded student. She reflects on memories from school. “I rode the bus from our house in the country to school every day. The elementary building I attended, Louise Peacock, was a Kindergarten through fifth-grade building. We also had two other neighboring elementary schools that fed into our school system. Corunna Middle School was a sixth through eighth-grade building.” Corunna Public Schools had a small-town feel to it with multiple generations of children making their way through from Kindergarten to twelfth grade. Some of Becky’s teachers had also taught her parents when they were youngsters. Becky was a well-behaved student and was not disciplined often, but she remembers well one occasion of being held in for recess for spelling her name wrong, an infraction which would not require staying in for recess in today’s schools. 

Being assigned jobs is a common practice for students. Becky explains this process in her elementary school. “We were assigned different jobs in our cafeteria, including serving food or washing dishes. We considered this a privilege and enjoyed it. My great aunt worked in the cafeteria, so I was always excited to help out and spend time with her.” Other memories from elementary school for Becky include having three daily recesses and pairing up with book buddies with a first-grade classroom when she was in fifth grade.

The transition from elementary school to middle school brought with it extracurricular activities. Immersing herself in much of what her school had to offer sort of defined Becky’s secondary education experience. She talks about how she enjoyed participating in a variety of activities. “I was a cheerleader in middle school and participated in other sports, including volleyball and intramural softball. My interest in media started in middle school as a member of the yearbook committee.”

Becky hit her stride with extracurriculars as she transitioned from middle school to high school, where many more activities and opportunities were offered. “I played softball and volleyball my freshman year, but eventually I was participating in athletics year-round. Corunna’s softball coach was also our school’s cross country coach, Becky explains. “He made a deal with me that if I went out for cross country, he would work with me on getting in extra batting practice.” Although running wasn’t her first love as an athlete, cross country would become the sport that she appreciated the most. Cross-country filled her schedule in the fall and softball in the spring, but she was also active in the winter. “I played volleyball for four years, three years on varsity.” Becky paints a picture of the importance of athletics in her high school career with some of he highlights and setbacks she was able to overcome. “I was selected as the Corunna Female athlete of the year in my senior year, an honor that came with a scholarship and the opportunity to speak at the end-of-year athletic banquet. I played softball for four years, three years on varsity, and my senior year was named Miss Softball for our team, an award voted on by the team. For my senior softball season, I was able to play every position with the exception of catcher and shortstop.” Injury was a part of the process for Becky as an athlete. “I broke my ankle during volleyball season my sophomore year, which put me out for the rest of the season. I broke the same ankle again at the beginning of my senior volleyball season but was able to come back near the end of the season. Becky took on the role of utility player for her softball team her senior year, a baseball/softball term designated for a versatile player who is able to fill in wherever needed. The title of utility player fits her well now with all the roles she has filled in her tenure at Harper Creek. 

Sports played a major role in Becky’s development as a student and as a person. She explains. “Being involved in athletics was huge for part of my high school experience. Our volleyball team was a tight-knit bunch. We were able to break many records over the course of my four years. We qualified for regionals two years in a row, making it all the way to the regional finals one of those years.” Perhaps cross country was the sport she learned the most from. “I feel that the important part of cross country is that it is an environment in which everyone supports everyone else, including teammates and athletes from other schools. Cross country helped me form positive relationships and positive bonds while  teaching me many lessons.” 

Sports made a huge impact on Becky’s life, but all extracurricular activities played a major role in the values she has folded into her life as a teacher, wife, and mother. Becky talks about other activities she was involved in. “I was a part of the student council in high school and Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), an organization aimed at teaching children skills to help them learn how to resist peer pressure and lead productive, drug and violence-free lives.” Becky also worked with Corunna High School News (CHS), which helped to foster her interest in the media. “CHS News was a school-based news platform that was broadcast live to the entire school each day. We would make announcements and share news stories. Another opportunity I was granted during my senior year was being chosen to represent Corunna High School at Girls’ State, a leadership conference that focuses on government functions. This is a week-long conference that takes place each summer on the campus of Central Michigan University.” Becky also continued her work with the yearbook that she had started in middle school, joining the yearbook club in high school. Even with all the extended amount of time devoted to school activities, Becky was able to babysit her siblings, work part-time at a local ice cream shop, and umpire Little League baseball games.

The time that Becky spent working on the yearbook and broadcasting news daily with CHS piqued her interest in pursuing a career in the media industry. She gives details about post-high school education. “I graduated from high school in 1996. As a high school student, I never went on a college visit. I applied to Michigan State University (MSU) because it was close to home, and my uncle had played football there. I also applied to Central Michigan University and Grand Valley State University. The time that I had spent in my broadcasting class made me begin to realize that I might want a career in journalism and perhaps be a news anchor.” Becky decided to enroll at MSU to pursue journalism. As a journalism student, English classes made up part of her schedule as a freshman. “I gained some experience working at a local news station in my first year at MSU. I would go on assignment to interview people. I soon realized that I didn’t like sticking a microphone in people’s faces. I wasn’t convinced that I still wanted a career in the media. I continued to pursue journalism but also began formulating a backup plan to earn a teaching degree. With the English classes that I had taken, I thought that if journalism didn’t work out, I could teach English.” Becky graduated from MSU in 2000, earning a BS degree in journalism. She continued at MSU for another year, taking graduate level classes to add a teaching certificate and completing her student internship, teaching English and Newspaper at Williamston High School. 

Becky was ready to take on the world with her journalism degree and teaching certificate, and she ultimately decided to pursue teaching as a career. “The climate of teaching was much different in 2000 than it is now,” Becky explains. “There were many more teachers than there were jobs available. I interviewed with Mike Ott, Harper Creek Middle School’s principal, in the summer of 2001 was hired and started at Harper Creek in the fall of 2001. I was at the middle school for three years. I also coached track and volleyball while at the middle school and helped with Student Council.” 

A few years after joining Harper Creek, Becky would make the shift to the high school. “When the new high school opened, I was moved there to teach English and Yearbook,” Becky recalls. “This was a difficult transition at first. I continued coaching sports at the middle school for a few years, and then in 2006, I started coaching volleyball and the pom team at the high school. I also taught a Newspaper class for a few years.” Becky continued as an English teacher for Harper Creek High School for nearly fifteen years before making another major change. “In 2015, I moved into a job as a Graduate Coach.” This entailed working with at-risk students who were struggling to stay on track to graduate. “As Grad Coach, I worked closely with students on academics and social behaviors. I was an adult in the building, whom they could go to for support in any area. I would describe it as the combination of a school counselor and a special ed teacher, but not necessarily either one of those. There was a lot of overlap. Keeping in contact with parents and teachers regularly was a big part of my job as a Grad Coach as well. My primary goal was for kids to earn their diploma, even if it was a non-traditional track or outside of Harper Creek.” With her interest in media, being an English teacher was a good fit for Becky. She talked about what ultimately led her to leave the English department, making the change to Graduate Coach. “Supporting kids and helping them to find success has always given me joy. This is one of the things that interested me in the Grad Coach job. I feel that a strength for me is helping kids at different places in their learning.”

Becky continued as a Graduate Coach for nine years, but with changing roles in this position, she decided to apply for something new, moving into a different position in 2024. She talks about this transition. “This year, I transitioned to one of the high school’s MTSS Instructional Coaches, also known as Multiple Tiered Systems of Support Coordinator. My job duties are broad as an MTSS Coach, helping out when and where needed to support students, staff, and administration. Some of what I do includes working closely with the administrators, helping with curriculum alignment, mentoring new teachers, and providing student and staff support where needed. I am also part of implementing building initiatives (like the new schedule), building testing, and being a part of our building's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) team, child study team while also serving as the high school Homeless Liaison. Becky has also taken on other jobs while working for Harper Creek, including coaching middle school cross country, working the table for home volleyball games, and being the PA announcer for middle school track, varsity track, and Girls On the Run.

Through all of the job changes that Becky has gone through at the high school, she has continued her role as Yearbook teacher, giving up that role this school year. I loved doing yearbook,”  Becky admits. “It’s rewarding to help students create something that will be looked at by many Harper Creekers for years to come. I worked very closely with our publishing company, and I enjoyed the yearbook family atmosphere, but in my new role as MTSS Instructional Coach, teaching yearbook would have taken too much time away from being able to support staff in other ways.”

Becky has filled her plate through the years as an educator, coach, and serving various extra-curricular leadership roles. Having a hand in so many aspects of our school district feeds into her goals. She explains. “As an educator, I enjoy new learning opportunities. In my current job, I have a lot of learning to do. We are navigating this as we go. It’s kind of a fluid role. I am willing to help wherever needed.”

Becky’s parents and all of her siblings still live in Corunna. Sprouting out on her own a few hours down the road may have presented a bit of an adjustment, but she has laid down roots of her own in the Cereal City. She goes into more detail about this. “I met my husband, Doug in 2003 through a mutual friend. We were engaged about a year later and were married in July of 2005. Cooper was born in July  2007, and Carson was born in May 2009. We are all pretty active as a family.” The Gardner family spends much of their free time outdoors. “The boys like outdoor activities. Doug and the boys like to hunt, ride mountain bikes, and ski. We used to go camping a lot when the boys were younger. Doug grew up on St. Mary’s Lake, so we spend a lot of time at his mom’s house in the summer on the Lake. Doug owns a landscaping business, and the boys work for him during the summer months.”  Now that Carson and Cooper are in high school, the focus of Rebecca and Doug’s extra time has shifted a bit. “Cooper has a passion for running. He runs nearly every day and has for several years. He runs both cross country and track and hopes to continue running after high school. He has run the Cereal City Half Marathon the last two summers and competed at the State Cross Country Meet as a junior. Carson plays tennis, and he will pole vault this spring for the track team. He also competes on the clay target team. Doug and I enjoy watching them compete as athletes.”

The history of public education tells us that schools are responsible for teaching our youth academic skills to prepare them for becoming independent, productive adults. To be effective in doing this, we must go beyond academics and nurture the development of our students in a whole child approach. Teachers learn to adapt. As changes occur in society, changes occur in what children are taught and how they learn. Education is a fluid process. The roles that we play as educators are continually being adjusted. Becky’s story is a reminder that educators must wear many hats to help our students succeed. 

Chronicles from the Illinois Marathon

Just Another Runner’s Perspective                                                                                           

Chronicles from the Illinois Marathon                                                       

“If you feel bad at ten miles, you’re in trouble.  If you feel bad at twenty miles, you’re normal.  If you don’t feel bad at twenty-six miles, you’re abnormal.”  ---Rob de Castella

May 1, 2010, 7:25 am, Champaign, Illinois

“Five minutes to go until the wheelchair athletes begin, and five minutes after that, the half-marathon and marathon runners will begin.”

 As Hannah, Hunz, and I stood at the starting line, I couldn’t stop shaking while listening to these words spoken over the loudspeakers.  I wasn’t shivering because I was cold. After all, the temperatures were in the mid to upper sixties on this early May morning in Champaign, Illinois.  Shaking has always been a typical reaction for me in response to the nervous anticipation in the last few minutes leading up to a marathon. Moments later, another announcement came over the loudspeaker. The race would be delayed a few minutes due to the 5K race not being complete. My nervous reaction continued as the wait was extended.  Weather conditions made me a bit more nervous for this marathon compared to most of my previous marathon experiences. With temperatures in the mid-sixties, humidity levels approaching 90% for the start of the race, and predictions of temperatures approaching 80 degrees for the day, I wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence at my chances of meeting my goal, not to mention just finishing the race. It wasn’t as if I had never run a marathon in these conditions, but today, I was attempting a PR pace.  I wasn’t sure if my body would hold up to these conditions for twenty-six miles so early in the racing season at a pace that I had never run in a marathon. It is usually late May to early June by the time my body acclimates to high temperatures and humidity.

Just a year earlier, I had run the inaugural Illinois Marathon. The experience was a very memorable one for me. The weekend included appearances from Runner’s World’s Bart Yasso, and one of our county’s top marathon performers of all time, Dick Beardsley. The race course showcased some of Champaign-Urbana’s finest neighborhoods, ending with a spectacular finish inside the University of Illinois Memorial Stadium.  Perhaps what made my 2009 Illinois Marathon experience so memorable was that I was able to set a PR on the course that day. 

As runners from our local running group, the Kalamazoo Area Runners (KAR), began making plans for 2010 spring marathons, a group of us decided to mark the Illinois Marathon on our calendar for May 1. This year’s race would include much of the same course, an expanded field, another finish in Memorial Stadium, and appearances from Kathryn Switzer, who was responsible for the women's marathon movement, and Jean Driscoll, an elite wheelchair athlete born with spina bifida. After the holidays, Bonnie, Hannah, Hunz, and I began planning and training for our weekend in Champaign. Later, Russ and Shane would decide to make the trip to Champaign as well. Hunz would attempt his first sub-three-hour marathon. Hannah, who had been granted elite status for Illinois, had thoughts of the marathon Olympic trials as she decided what her race goal would be.  My goal was to PR, which would require a pace of 6:44 a mile or faster and a finishing time faster than 2:56:52, but if I were to at least break three hours, I would have seven sub-three-hour marathons, moving me closer to my goal of ten marathons under three hours. As our training continued through the winter, Hannah decided she was not quite ready to meet Olympic trials qualification standards. The week before race day, Hannah, Hunz, and I decided we would start together and attempt to go out and finish at a 6:44 pace. In the week leading up the marathon, I would diligently check the race day weather forecast multiple times daily. Although my confidence of reaching my goal began to fade with the threat of warm, muggy weather, I did not waver on my plans for race day. As Hunz, Hannah, and I stood at the starting line, we waited nervously to begin our quest in hopes that our bodies would allow us to reach our goals.

When Kathryn Switzer finally gave the starting command, we made our way through the sea of runners, trying to find an open area for the three of us to fall into our pace. The wind was at our backs, and we had a slight downhill for much of mile one. I had been granted the title of official pacer for the three of us. As we approached the mile one marker, I looked at the Garmin watch on my wrist and announced to Hunz and Hannah, “6:34, now it’s time to settle in.” I had warned both of my running partners that my first mile of most marathons was usually a little quick because of the excitement, but after mile one, it was time to focus on maintaining cruise control for each mile.

The wave of runners seemed to spread out as we approached midway between mile marker number one and mile marker number two.  I glanced at my Garmin periodically to check on the screen that shows an ongoing average pace for the entire workout. As we were approaching mile marker number two, our average pace read 6:39 a mile. When we crossed mile marker number two, I called out, “6:44.” This was a perfectly paced mile.  The nerves had finally settled, and it was time to hit cruise control. I noticed that I was sweating more than usual while running as we locked into our pace between mile markers two and three. I hadn’t sweat this much on a run since last September. This concerned me somewhat, so early in the race. I was hopeful that the heat and humidity would not wear me down. As we crossed mile marker number three, the Garmin read a split of 6:39. This was a bit too fast for our mile split, and our average pace remained 6:39. As we made our way through mile four, we made a turn and began running into the southern breeze. This increased our effort, but the breeze was welcome on this hot, humid day. Our mile marker number four split showed a 6:42 mile. We were back to cruise control pace. It was at this point in the race that I felt like nature was calling. I didn’t really want to take the time for a bathroom stop, so I continued on, hoping the feeling would pass. The split at mile marker number five read 6:46, a little slow, but close enough. Mile marker number six showed a consistent pattern as we came through at 6:43. 

Halfway into mile number seven, I spotted three porta pots to the side of the course. I told Hunz and Hannah that I was going to make a stop but would catch up with them. Hunz also decided to make a stop. We both got in and out as quickly as possible, losing about twenty seconds. This delay was evident at mile marker number seven, with the Garmin showing a 7:05 split. Our average pace had dropped from 6:40 a mile to 6:45 a mile. This was a little disappointing but could not be helped. I told Hunz that we didn’t need to catch Hanna all in one chunk, but both of us wanted to find her as quickly as possible. Mile number eight was 6:35. We could see Hannah ahead of us now and were able to catch her before we hit mile marker number nine, which was 6:54.  I began to feel the urge to make a bathroom stop again. I decided I wanted to bank some time in anticipation of another pit stop, so I picked up the pace. It was at this point that I started separating from Hunz and Hanna. It seemed as if sweat was rolling from every pore of my skin. The extra weight from the sweat clinging to my shorts and the two gel packs nestled in the back pockets caused another problem as I was now constantly pulling up my shorts, which seemed to be slipping with every stride. I did not want to tie the drawstring any tighter for fear of losing more valuable seconds trying to untie them in anticipation of another bathroom stop. The constant pulling up of my shorts continued until I finished my last gel pack around two hours into the race. 

Mile ten was 6:54, and mile eleven was 6:34. I had dropped my average pace back down to 6:42 a mile. As I continued the faster pace through mile twelve, I spotted another porta pot and decided to take my second stop, this time losing almost thirty seconds. Stepping back onto the racecourse, Hannah and Hunz had caught back up to me, but my average pace had dropped down to 6:46 a mile. The thought of possibly another bathroom stop had definitely changed my race strategy. I was running miles faster than anticipated in hopes of banking time for possible stops. I picked up the pace again. Mile number twelve was 7:07, fast enough considering the bathroom break, and mile number thirteen was 6:31. I was now halfway through and would start my mental game of evaluating my progress every two miles.

I had started feeling a little out of my comfort zone the previous few miles. It wasn’t as if I was approaching the wall, but my perceived effort was more than I was comfortable with less than halfway through the race. The mind games began. Should I continue to pace and try to reach my goal, but chance a disastrous finish? Should I back off and wait for Hannah and Hunz? I felt that if I were to do this, I could still break three hours but risk my chance of setting a PR. With the heat and humidity, should I just slow the pace and come in comfortably? I decided I would push on and go for a PR. If I hit the wall early, I would just have to deal with my decision. Mile number fourteen was 6:37. The weather must have been getting to other runners as I noticed myself passing more and more of them. I desperately wanted to find someone who had a similar race goal as mine so that we could pace ourselves for the rest of the race. I caught up to another runner and asked him what his goal was. He wanted to run a time of 2:51, and he thought that he was a little ahead of the pace. His calculations were obviously not accurate as we were at the same point in the race, and I was on a pace to finish at 2:56 at best. I decided that he was probably not the best runner to pace with. Mile number fifteen was 6:38. I was still feeling the same perceived exertion that I had begun feeling earlier, around mile twelve, but the feeling had not gotten any worse. The next three miles were all a model of consistency as all of them were identical at 6:38. I had dropped my average pace back down to 6:43 a mile. I began to feel a surge of confidence. Again, I passed another runner and asked her what her goal was. She replied that she would be happy just to finish. This was a good answer, but I was still on my own for pacing. Somewhere in the middle of mile nineteen, I spotted another porta pot and made another quick pit stop. Despite the stop, my Garmin still read seven minutes flat at the nineteen-mile mark. Shortly after my pit stop, I passed another runner, asking him, just as I had the others, what his goal time would be. His response was identical to the last, wanting just to be able to finish the race. 

With the twenty-mile mark just on the horizon, my legs and lungs were beginning to show more fatigue, but I still felt I had some miles in me at under a 6:44 pace. Mile twenty was 6:41 and mile twenty-one was 6:43. This is when I began doing the calculations in my head.  Could I reach my PR at this point by averaging a seven-minute pace through the last five miles? Would a worst-case scenario of eight-minute miles still get me under three hours? I was tired, and making these calculations in my head was requiring too much of an effort. “Just keep moving as fast as you can”, I told myself. My enthusiasm was waning slightly, but I was still feeling in the game. For much of the earlier stages of the race, I like to get the crowd involved in the race. I will raise my hands, cup my hand to my ear, or simply shout, “Make some noise!” as I race by pockets of spectators. Any extra energy for this was fading. I still tried to stay involved with the crowd. Part of what gets me to the finish line of a marathon is the encouragement given by spectators, especially as fatigue begins to set in. Although I was not feeding the crowd frenzy at this time, like I had earlier, the crowd was still doing its part to pull me through. I tried my best to acknowledge positive comments from spectators with a thank you or at least a thumbs up. I wanted to let them know that their support was greatly appreciated. 

 Mile twenty-two was just under goal pace at 6:43. I spotted yet another porta pot during mile twenty-three, and yes, I made one last stop, causing me to come in at 7:13 for mile twenty-three. My legs were now beginning to show great signs of fatigue, but I still had not hit the wall and was able to keep running. The Garmin read 6:54 at the mile twenty-four marker. While cresting a hill in the middle of mile twenty-five, I could see a spectator out in the middle of the road ahead, cheering on the runners. As I approached him, he yelled to me, “Hey, I know you!  You ran the race with me last year and beat me!”  I looked at him and instantly recognized him as a runner I had hooked up with last year for the last thirteen miles. I half-heartedly begged him to run the last two miles with me, but he convinced me I could make it on my own. With the uphill and fatigue setting in, mile twenty-five was my slowest mile with a split of 7:30. As I came upon a clearing, I could see Memorial Stadium just around the corner. I knew that a PR was not a possibility anymore, but coming in less than three hours was not out of the question. I had picked the pace up a little for mile twenty-six, clocking a 7:04. I began to feel a bit of relief knowing the end was just moments away and that I would make it in less than three hours. I entered the stadium filled with cheering spectators, crossing the finish line at the fifty-yard line with the Garmin reading 2:59:32, good enough for a top twenty finish. It wasn’t easy, but I had made it. There was no PR today, but I had just finished my seventh sub 3-hour marathon which was a great feeling, but to be honest, to cross the finish line for any marathon, no matter how fast or slow, no matter how badly my body has been beat up, is always an emotional high. Considering the heat, humidity, and the time I made up with the unexpected bathroom stops, I would rank this as one of my top marathon performances. 

Bending over with my hands on my knees and gasping for air as one of the race volunteers placed a medal over my head, I was totally exhausted, and I am sure extremely dehydrated. Despite the sunny skies and warm temperatures, I was experiencing the chills. I had no time to celebrate as I had to make one last dash to find a bathroom in the stadium’s concourse. After taking care of business, I came back down to he football field to find my friends. 

Hannah finished in 3:05, giving her honors as the second-place female runner and a payday of $1000. This was the most exciting part of the weekend. Another friend of mine, Melissa, from Muskegon, Michigan, was the fifth-place female and first masters runner, earning her a $500 paycheck. She set a PR with a 3:16. Hunz finished in 3:19, Bonnie and Russ finished together in 3:42, and Shane completed his first marathon in 4:30.  It was a good day for all of us. As I made my way back to my car, I crossed the race course just as the runners were entering the stadium. I couldn’t help but notice the aroma of meat cooking over hot coals.  Parked alongside the course was a group of spectators with a party tent, a grill, and all the fixings. It smelled so good! Showing no modesty, I walked over and asked the grill master if he was selling what he was cooking. He graciously offered me a burger, no charge. I eagerly accepted his offer. My day in Champaign had ended with the same hospitality that I experienced out on the race course for twenty-six miles.

As we made the trip back to Michigan after the race, fatigue and dehydration made for a long drive back home, but there was no lack of conversation during the hours spent in the car. The weekend in Champaign was a classic.

The next day, I downloaded my race data from my Garmin watch onto my computer. This wonderful piece of technology has many features, probably more useless than useful. As I was looking at the information that it had spit out onto my computer, I noticed a feature I had not noticed before. The screen showed a column that read “Time” and a column that read “Moving Time”. My moving time was 2:56:50, which would calculate to a two-second PR. Translated, this means that my time spent for each bathroom stop did not figure into my moving time. So, the question is, could I have set a PR without the bathroom stops? I guess there is no point in dwelling on this. Regardless, this was truly another memorable marathon experience.

KEEP RUNNING!!

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.