Fast running is not the only that can be found at the Lake Murray Invitational this weekend at Crooked Creek Park in Chapin.
Camden seventh grade cross country runner Bryanna Boykin started running this year and will be competing in the meet.
Boykin, born with one arm, talked to her sixth grade physical education teacher Shelli Fox, also Camden's cross country coach, about joining the team at the start of the school year.
Prior to joining the cross country team, Boykin talked to Fox about joining the club volleyball team. Fox helps coach the club team.
"I am running because coach Fox and my friend Nyree Logan both encourage me (to run)," said Boykin. "Nyree is a teammate and friend of mine."
Boykin wanted to join a team to be a part of the school and do a sport. "I asked coach Fox about playing volleyball," said Boykin. "She told me that might not be the best choice (for me). She told me running was something I could definitely do without any problem."
"Running on the team has changed Bryanna in amazing ways," said Fox. "I had her in PE class last year as sixth grader and she was wild, loud, always wanted to be the center of attention. She whined a lot and told me she couldn't run or do activities due to her arm. I often laughed and scolded her and told her to just try, just try, you can do it. She got to the point where she would do PE, but always at the minium level."
Boykin mentioned Fox motivates her to run. She also mentioned, "She (coach Fox) tells all of us we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. She also tells me she'll tell my mom if I walk at practice. Sometimes she will say if we can't run it (practice) correctly we can run it a second time and she will chase us!!!"
Boykin's first practice was hard, the Bulldog said. "While I was running I kept thinking, 'I can NOT do this.' I ran and kept yelling (and whining), coach Fox, can I stop, can I stop? Coach Fox just laughed at me and told me to keep going. She kept encouraging me."
"We try our best every practice and every race," said Boykin.
"My first thought was 'Oh no, I don't think I can handle the whining!,'" said Fox. "But she came out and was extremely enthusiastic. She bounced off the walls wanting to go run. The first two weeks she walked and walked. We had our first scrimmage at Richland Northeast. She begged me to let her run. I allowed her to run. She would run then walk then run and walk. She finished with a time of 52:38."
Boykin's work ethic increased on the course when her coach told, "all of the girls they could not run in a real meet until they could at least jog three miles. Something clicked at that point for Bryanna and she started to really work in practice. She ran her second race at Coaches Classic and ran 32:28."
"Bryanna's enthusiasm overflows to her teammates," said Fox.
Boykin's Uncle Alex also runs. She mentioned, "He is very proud of me. He and my mom told me I have to do something with my long legs."
"Her parents are so proud of her," said Fox. "They come to every meet, even the ones Bryanna didn't participate in. They encourage her to do the best she can."
During Boykin's first meet, also at the Bulldogs' home course, she mentioned, "I was afraid I'd be way behind everyone else at the race. My time was 52 minutes. I did walk a lot. Then at Coaches Classic I ran 32 minutes. I was so happy I didn't walk very much at all."
"Her goal is to make the varsity team and get to wear a black uniform (varsity wears black and junior varsity wears yellow uniforms)." said Fox. Boykin added, "I also want to run under 26 minutes."
"Bryanna is a blessing to me," said Fox. "She is full of love and joy. She is very emotional. She cries before her races and she cries when she finishes. After the Coaches
Classic race she was crying and I asked her why, she said she is so glad she finished the race and she wasn't even last! She truly is an amazing young lady!"
As for the 2008 track season, Boykin said, "Coach Fox is asking all of us to run track. But, she isn't coaching track anymore so she spend time with her two-year-old little boy.
So, I don't know if I will run or not. Some of the other girls don't run track because she doesn't coach (track). They meet after school and run together during the spring season.
I might do that so I can stay in shape for next year!"
"They (the team) accept me 100 percent," said Boykin. "They never let me quit. We pray together, run together, play together and cheer together. The whole team cheers me on everyday. Sometimes they even drag me along when I walk. It encourages me to run with them."
"Bryanna's mother told me last week that she is an entirely different child at home as well," said Fox. "She is focused less on herself, she helps out more, works harder at her school work and is more mature. She has taken the gifts God has given her and uses them to the best of her ability. She is determined to give God the glory for what she accomplishes."
During her 5,000-meter run tomorrow give Bryanna an extra cheer and watch as she can motivate us to keep going -- as she continues to move forward to achieve her goals.
Camden seventh grade cross country runner Bryanna Boykin started running this year and will be competing in the meet.
Boykin, born with one arm, talked to her sixth grade physical education teacher Shelli Fox, also Camden's cross country coach, about joining the team at the start of the school year.
Prior to joining the cross country team, Boykin talked to Fox about joining the club volleyball team. Fox helps coach the club team.
"I am running because coach Fox and my friend Nyree Logan both encourage me (to run)," said Boykin. "Nyree is a teammate and friend of mine."
Boykin wanted to join a team to be a part of the school and do a sport. "I asked coach Fox about playing volleyball," said Boykin. "She told me that might not be the best choice (for me). She told me running was something I could definitely do without any problem."
"Running on the team has changed Bryanna in amazing ways," said Fox. "I had her in PE class last year as sixth grader and she was wild, loud, always wanted to be the center of attention. She whined a lot and told me she couldn't run or do activities due to her arm. I often laughed and scolded her and told her to just try, just try, you can do it. She got to the point where she would do PE, but always at the minium level."
Boykin mentioned Fox motivates her to run. She also mentioned, "She (coach Fox) tells all of us we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. She also tells me she'll tell my mom if I walk at practice. Sometimes she will say if we can't run it (practice) correctly we can run it a second time and she will chase us!!!"
Boykin's first practice was hard, the Bulldog said. "While I was running I kept thinking, 'I can NOT do this.' I ran and kept yelling (and whining), coach Fox, can I stop, can I stop? Coach Fox just laughed at me and told me to keep going. She kept encouraging me."
"We try our best every practice and every race," said Boykin.
"My first thought was 'Oh no, I don't think I can handle the whining!,'" said Fox. "But she came out and was extremely enthusiastic. She bounced off the walls wanting to go run. The first two weeks she walked and walked. We had our first scrimmage at Richland Northeast. She begged me to let her run. I allowed her to run. She would run then walk then run and walk. She finished with a time of 52:38."
Boykin's work ethic increased on the course when her coach told, "all of the girls they could not run in a real meet until they could at least jog three miles. Something clicked at that point for Bryanna and she started to really work in practice. She ran her second race at Coaches Classic and ran 32:28."
"Bryanna's enthusiasm overflows to her teammates," said Fox.
Boykin's Uncle Alex also runs. She mentioned, "He is very proud of me. He and my mom told me I have to do something with my long legs."
"Her parents are so proud of her," said Fox. "They come to every meet, even the ones Bryanna didn't participate in. They encourage her to do the best she can."
During Boykin's first meet, also at the Bulldogs' home course, she mentioned, "I was afraid I'd be way behind everyone else at the race. My time was 52 minutes. I did walk a lot. Then at Coaches Classic I ran 32 minutes. I was so happy I didn't walk very much at all."
"Her goal is to make the varsity team and get to wear a black uniform (varsity wears black and junior varsity wears yellow uniforms)." said Fox. Boykin added, "I also want to run under 26 minutes."
"Bryanna is a blessing to me," said Fox. "She is full of love and joy. She is very emotional. She cries before her races and she cries when she finishes. After the Coaches
Classic race she was crying and I asked her why, she said she is so glad she finished the race and she wasn't even last! She truly is an amazing young lady!"
As for the 2008 track season, Boykin said, "Coach Fox is asking all of us to run track. But, she isn't coaching track anymore so she spend time with her two-year-old little boy.
So, I don't know if I will run or not. Some of the other girls don't run track because she doesn't coach (track). They meet after school and run together during the spring season.
I might do that so I can stay in shape for next year!"
"They (the team) accept me 100 percent," said Boykin. "They never let me quit. We pray together, run together, play together and cheer together. The whole team cheers me on everyday. Sometimes they even drag me along when I walk. It encourages me to run with them."
"Bryanna's mother told me last week that she is an entirely different child at home as well," said Fox. "She is focused less on herself, she helps out more, works harder at her school work and is more mature. She has taken the gifts God has given her and uses them to the best of her ability. She is determined to give God the glory for what she accomplishes."
During her 5,000-meter run tomorrow give Bryanna an extra cheer and watch as she can motivate us to keep going -- as she continues to move forward to achieve her goals.