1. Team Navigator Award: MIKE ANIS
The group was finally at the airport, excited to soon be boarding a flight to Seattle for the national championships. It had been a LONG season of training in preparation for club nats. That said, Jeff Perrella's words will long live in infamy: "Chuck, I think we have a big problem." Watching Mike pat himself down, feeling around pockets that don't even exist for a driver's license that clearly wasn't there, will certainly be cause for ribbing for years to come.
The group was finally at the airport, excited to soon be boarding a flight to Seattle for the national championships. It had been a LONG season of training in preparation for club nats. That said, Jeff Perrella's words will long live in infamy: "Chuck, I think we have a big problem." Watching Mike pat himself down, feeling around pockets that don't even exist for a driver's license that clearly wasn't there, will certainly be cause for ribbing for years to come.
2. Coolest Piece of GSTC Gear: BLACK WARM UP JACKET
The spike bag and the gold uniform garnered a few votes, but the classic black and gold warm-up jacket runs away with this one. Our question: have you seen the sprint jerseys? They're pretty sweet too. Oh well. No votes for Anis underwear here. Thankfully.
3. GSTC Facial Hair Award: STEVE BONICA
The GSTC veep turned away some serious competition for this one, as Perella and Anis scored solid votes here. Perhaps there is a cerain swagger that comes from living in NYC? Either way, props to Bonica for securing this true resume-builder...perhaps his finest accomplishment of the year.
The GSTC veep turned away some serious competition for this one, as Perella and Anis scored solid votes here. Perhaps there is a cerain swagger that comes from living in NYC? Either way, props to Bonica for securing this true resume-builder...perhaps his finest accomplishment of the year.
4. Team Performance of the Year: MEN WIN OPEN NJ-USATF TEAM TITLE
The men's open team toed the President's Cup starting line in late June down 20 points to the Sneaker Factory. Why? They missed the first two Grand Prix races- and with just six races to go, it seemed an impossible feat. The scoring started with Jeff Perrella winning the P-Cup in June, and finished with Rutgers' junior Zach Speigel dragging himself across the line with a huge PR as the team's 5th and final scoring runner in December's Grand Finale 10 Miler. It took dozens of runners to displace the leader, SF, and the defending champs, RVRR, over the next six months. The knockout blow? The Gold puts teams (of five) in 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th in the NJ-USATF xc 5k race, pushing the hapless SF to sixth overall. Yes, you read that right: our D Team beat their A team. Ouch. Truly a team effort, and a well earned one!
5. GSTC Female Athlete of the Year: CHEYENNE OGLETREE
In a nearly unanimous vote, Cheyenne Ogletree wins the most coveted individual GSTC award. In the three team-scored races she competed in, she was the team's #1 runner in all of them. She won the NJ-USATF 8k individual title, helping the women win their first overall team championship. One can only wonder how fast she will run in 2012, and the Lady Gold will be chasing their first open team title with Cheyenne leading the charge up front!
6. GSTC Male Athlete of the Year: JEFF PERRELLA
The legendary Jeff Perrella won five championship races in 2011, and the voters seemed to value this the most. He literally put the club on the map on July 9th when he won the club national championship 10,000m title. Three of his wins were NJ-USATF Grand Prix races, so we can all thank the Quiet Storm for his major contributions to the 2011 Open Team Title. While it was fun to watch runners literally dropping out as they tried to stay with him during the nationals 10,000, his most exciting race was his triumph over the CPTC in the NJ vs NY dual meet after three grueling laps around Buccleuch Park.
7. Creeper Van of the Year: SEATTLE RENT-A-WRECK
Voters seemed a bit put off on the notion that a car door would have no insulation, but rather, be simply just a piece of metal. And the worst pat of this van: the interior was the nicest part of the vehicle. You just can't make this stuff up.
8. Rutgers Athlete of the Year: DAN TEICHMANN
This was, by far, the closest vote of all awards, as just a few votes separated Mike Obsuth and Dan Teichmann. While Mike put up impressive stats in the spring, a heavy course load limited him this fall. Meanwhile, the scrappy sophomore from Hightstown HS had a banner year, culminating in a 11th place finish at the Grand Finale 10 Miler, whereas he ran 57:34 (5:45 pace). This put Dan as the GSTC's #3 man, propelling the black and gold to the team win...and the 2011 overall team title.
9. Above and Beyond Award: CATHY STUTZMAN
Voters seemed to acknowledge how hard it is to make every team meeting, every team race, every team event, every team (fill in the blank); indeed, all we stated about Cathy was her near perfect attendance, and you all checked her box. While keeping a non-profit running club takes many, many, many good people with good hearts, Cathy's efforts through the entire year have been, in every sense of the word, above and beyond. Want an example? She helped stuff envelopes to graduating collegiate runners at a random diner in Metuchen for three hours...on a weekday.
10. Recruiter of the Year: ALAN BRUSSARD
This was also another close vote, but Mr. Thundering Hurdler took the cake. There was a time where, seemingly every week, someone was joining the club because "I saw him wearing a running shirt in the mall, so I went and talked to him, coach." Alan did a particularly great job building up the sprint crew, as he even brought in a few recruits from.......church. Now risking getting hit by a lightning bolt for the name of your running team...THAT is a recruiter!
11. 4x400 Relay of the Year: 3:22.20 @ CLUB NATS
You all seemed to value time over place, and we suppose we can't blame you. The current club record set by Hakeem Miller, Duval Sewer, Alan Brussard, and Tony Harris only placed ninth, but hey- it WAS the national championships, after all.
12. Tim Morgan Award: TIM MORGAN
Despite the rough season for the young chap from South Plainfield, he was able to win the yearly award in his own name. The crazy thing was that, and we aren't kidding, he was training Mike Anis for much of the voting until pulling away at the end. While we aren't certain what the criteria of this award is, we are certain that it will be a yearly GSTC prize, and this year- congrats to Tim Morgan for landing the Tim Morgan Award.
13. 2011 GSTC Coach of the Year: CHRIS TAFELSKI
We told you this was a category for 2012, but many of you voted anyway, and the results were overwhelming. Many of you had career seasons this fall thanks to Tafelski's plans, and you said as much in your emailing voting. Winning the 2011 Open Team Title was no accident...and we can thank Coach T for the thoughtful planning.
14. Most Dedicated Women's Teammate: PRUDENCE JONES
Since joining this summer, Prudence has attended tons of practices, been a very involved women's team member, handed out candy and flyers during our Halloween run, and....the list goes on forever. This award was actually created by members of the women's team who requested Prudence be given the honor! We wanted to give her the "Smarty Pants" Award (she has a PhD from Harvard, after all), but we've learned to ALWAYS listen to the requests of our women's team...
15. The Gold & Black Award: ASHWIN ANANTHARAMAN
This year's Gold & Black Award, given to the runner who most embraces the ideals of the club, goes to Ashwin Anantharaman. Yeah, he followed the Grand Prix training plan, ran tons of PRs, scored tons of points, and was a HUGE player in the team title in 2011- but he was much more than a name on a scorecard. He was a zealous recruiter (he brought in eight runners in 2011), a passionate advocate for our team races (the dude handed out Gorilla 5k flyers to adolescent trick or treaters), and he was, perhaps importantly, a humble team player. After beating two runners (at Ashenfelter 8k) who were soon to be boarding a plane for Seattle's national championships (instead of Ashwin), he never mentoned being left home. In fact, when privately approached about this, he simply said, "Look, whatever the team needs, I'll do. You need me to race the 10 Miler here in Jersey? I'll do it. Just tell me what the team needs--and I'll do it."
16. Team Race Recruiting Award: MEGHAN DECARLO
We've told all members the importance of recruiting people to participate in our events. Simply stated: this is our team's bake sale, and the more brownies we sell....the more money the club makes. Many of you grabbed a friend, a parent, a cousin-which is awesome- but what did Meghan do? She packed a BUS FULL OF KIDS, from an hour away, and got them at the starting line. Now--if every member brought a bus load....we'd be able to buy a GSTC private jet!
17. Anticipation Award, Women: ASIA WASHINGTON
Since she signed with the Gold and Black in the summer, we've all been anxiously awaiting her debut race. After all, the former All-American from Virginia Tech with a PR of 56.90 in the 400 hurdles is one of the most dominant sprinters on the East Coast. The anticipation continues to grow, however, as she has an accounting exam on the same day of the next meet (1/7) at West Point.
18. Anticipation Award, Men: TOM POLAND
Marathoner Ken Goglas would have challenged for this award, but he slipped on he uniform once in the fall (2:29 NYC). Tom, however, has not, and with PRs of 14:27 and 30:12 from Columbia University- the sky's the limit for his post-collegiate career in black and gold. With long term plans toward a marathon, he will certainly factor in at club xc nationals in 2012, and he may open at he Grand Prix 20k on 3/11....so you've been warned, NJ-USATF. Our only disappointment with Tom is his birthday: 8-9-88. C'mon man, you couldn't come a day earlier?
19. Iron Woman Award: LINDSEY MICHAELISZYN
So, we think it's pretty cool that Lindsey, a Kean first year student, loves to run with the boys--and she's a pretty tough racer, as well. But wow, she literally stepped in a two foot narrow hole in the street weeks ago while on a team run. Where the hole came from, or how she managed to get knee deep in it- we have no idea. Regardless, jumping back up to her feet, despite blood gushing everywhere, and just saying, "Of course I'm fine. That was seriously nothing at all," humbled us all. Rock on, Lindsey!
20. Where the $%^& Did This Come From Award: Anthony Harris
It was an impressive spring for Tony Polite, as he dusted off his shoes after seven years of retirement and, after winning his first GSTC race (800 in 2:03), he dropped a 49.6 on the 4x400 anchor at club nats. Yet, he wins this award for his stunning fall season, his first step into the fray of distance running. After a 17:02 first 5k ever, he went on to win three road 5ks, his final one breaking 16:00, and finishing 2nd overall in the NJ-USATF 8k Cross Country Championships. As a fellow GSTC'er once asked me, "Yo, where the %#$^ did this guy come from?" One can only imagine what might happen next fall, as he will most certainly be vying for a spot on he top eight heading to club nationals in December, 2012.
The Golden 50 Challenge
In 2011, 50 races were won with the GSTC uniform. That's right- we've counted and recounted numerous times- they are all listed below- between track heats, road races, and relay events, the winner of 50 different races repped the GSTC in 2011.
In 2012, our goal is simple: to double it. 100 wins. No problem. And it all starts tomorrow, as we're gunning for three New Year's day races in Fair Lawn, Hamilton, and Westfield.
Either way, here's to a 2012 filled with fun, good health, and friendship......the real reasons why we started this club (winning comes in a close fourth place).
2011 GSTC Wins
ross @ 500m terrier classic, tyrone ross @ 500m valentine's day, sprint medley @ stockton invite, hedolis @ PCRC #1, hedolis @ PCRC #2, hedolis @ PCRC #4, obsuth, hedolis @ road relays, fairbrook, stutzman @ road relays, obsuth 3k @ nj-usatf indoor, jalen long @ 400m monmouth invite, 4x400 @ monmouth invite, johnson @ 100m trials rutgers invite, tafelski @ colon cancer 4 miler, nyc, 4x400 @ sam howell invite, jeff perrella @ penn relays classic, alan brussard 400IH heat @ lion invite, 4x400 @ lion invite, 2nd heat, duval sewer @ 400m, al kanor invite, 4x400 @ al kanor, perrella@ 10k east regions, perrella @ president's cup, 4x400 @ sprint series, rozensher @ sprint series, flyer @ sprint series, hakeem miller @ 400m sprint series, duval sewer @ 800 sprint series II, 4x400 @ sprint series II, perrella @ 10k club nats, perrella @ GTG 8k, tom poland @ GTG 5k, meghan decarlo @ ramsey day 5k, dixon @ 50 miler, morgan @ labor day 5k, kopnicki @ 5k, lestrange @ york turkey trot, heibell @ flemington turkey trot, morgan @ wesfield turkey trot, schneekloth @ race for water, harris @ south brunswick, harris @ race for mom, harris @ cody 5k in cranbury, perrella @ nj-usatf xc 5k, 4x400 c team @ jasper invite, 4x400 a team @ jasper invite, harris @ 1500m jasper invite, sewer @ 800m jasper invite, brito @ 400m jasper invite, shay warren @ 200m jasper invite, jaris @ 400m jasper invite, alan brussard @ 400m jasper invite,
