Sometimes the best stories happen quietly in the background, regardless of how loud your socks are. That is definitely the case for the Norton 4x50y Shuttle Hurdle team of Ben Donovan, Ramzi Bechara, James Sicard, and Ryan Lapadula who set the Division 4 record in that event two weeks ago....or so they thought.
Because the 4x50y hurdles is not a common event, the Reggie Lewis Center does not have permanent lines marked on the infield. In preparation for the division relays, the meet management places temporary lines on the floor after measuring the distance by hand. Unbeknownst to the teams at the Division 4 relays, an innocent mistake was made and the distance was marked short.
Norton put together a brilliant race that day and won the event in what they thought was a new division record. Elation turned to agony when meet officials broke the news to Norton coach Kent Taylor and he in turn shared the news with his team.
"The boys were distraught because they knew they could break the record. I told them to relax, as they were fired up, and said I will do everything in my power to make this right."
To the credit of Coach Taylor and the MSTCA, quick thinking led to a proposed solution. In less than 20 minutes a decision had been made and the team was invited to compete the next weekend at the division meet of their choice.
Unfazed by the prospect of competing against teams in a higher division, the Norton boys did what any successful group does, they picked the best competition they could find. Without hesitation, Norton opted to compete with the big boys of Division 1.
"They were not intimidated at all. If anything, they wanted a shot at the best. Plus, they were fueled by what happened."
Business as usual would be the approach taken in the days that passed between the Division 4 relays and their shot at redemption the following weekend. In-between was a very successful league tri-meet and a stellar indoor practice session at Wheaton College. Needless to say, the Norton 4x50y hurdle team was poised for another run at history.
Records are broken by near perfect performances; something that often eludes even the best athletes in world. Norton experienced their near perfect performance the week prior, but sometimes lightning strikes twice. Poised and confident, the boys rewrote history.....again. Norton won their section in a Division 4 record of 26.97, beating the old record of 27.80 set by Marblehead back in 2004.
The record may have been historic, but the most important aspect of the ordeal was the message. Coaches spend careers trying to impart lessons of personal responsibility, work-ethic, and perseverance. Because of the impeccable character exhibited by all those involved, an innocent mistake may have turned into the most powerful life lesson this group of athletes will experience in their high school careers.