Trevor Ricks reminds me of another long-distance stud at Star Valley High School named Holbrook Call.

I remember this particular runner so well because we graduated in the same year way back in the ‘94-95 school year, and since I was a thrower, I had time to watch him as he went round and round the track.  I remember thinking that there was nobody who could outrun this guy, he simply worked too hard to be denied.  He even got his name thrown into the SVHS Track annals with legendary Kevin Hyde, who was running four and a half minute miles before I was even born.  A man ahead of his time in our little valley some have said.

Now, some twelve years after seeing someone who used to run like he was deriving some sort of sick pleasure from it, I see another just like him in Trevor Ricks.  Ricks has won all four event titles in the Cross Country season so far, none of them closer than 25 seconds.  I don’t say this to jinx the deal, but Ricks is the ace in the hole for Star Valley Cross-Country team.  It’s not like he’s alone, Jason Livingston, Cody Brough, Josh Dustin and Lyle Dickey have all run some amazing times as well, and Tyler Skinner and a couple of others are shoring up the sixth and seventh spots.

What does this mean?

It means, if you’ve never had a chance to watch the Cross-Country team, it’s likely you don’t appreciate anything you’ve just read.  I’m not up on a soap-box, because it’s not like I’m driving to Douglas and such, but the team is worth the price of admission, and they don’t even charge.  Their next meet in Evanston on September 20, is definitely worth making the trip if you haven’t seen them before.

Guys like Hyde, Call and Ricks don’t come along every day, but with what looks to be a strong Cross-Country program gaining steam every year, maybe the wait in between won’t be quite as long.