Team of Links
The History and The Nominations
Many moons ago, my husband's high school coach, Jack Ary, gave links to his Conant Cougars in order to help them come together as a team. Each young man was given a link to carry with him as a reminder that he was a part of something bigger than himself. I loved the symbolism and started the tradition at ZB in 1998. For the first few seasons, each woman on the team was issued a link, and at the conclusion of the season, we relinked them into a strong chain. One season, however, the seniors decided that each runner should earn her link because being "linked" is a state of mind and should not come for free, and what had started as a "borrowed" tradition truly became our own.
Over the years, women have nominated each other for breaking through in a race...for helping a teammate through a difficult time...for hosting a team pasta party...for showing that linked spirit. And as alums have come home for Bee Linked in July, visited at meets, or checked in via FB, they have bragged that they still carry their links to this day. It goes without saying then, that a nomination to receive a link is the highest honor our team can give: a link from a teammate says, "You are part of our tradition."
This season, the following runners have been #linked4life:
Cici from MelMel
Ryan from Lauren, co-sign Noah C.
Janelley from Mary, co-sign Juliana
Candy from Janalise
Tony from Fia, co-sign Mary
Tati fro Cici, co-sign Janalise
Robert from Caleb, co-sign Xander, Mary, & Steven G.
Alex Q. from Janalise, co-sign Lauren
Joan from Steven G.
Alex P. from Nathaly T.
Lauren from Rachel
Nathaly T. from Mary
Corey from Noah C.
Mary from Tyla
Airimus from Corey
Tristan D. from Tony
Fia from Alivia
Braden from Joan
Juliana from Sheila
Dani from Cici, co-sign Lauren
Caleb from Robert
Rachel from Noah C.
Xander from Ryan
Tyla from Mary
Steven G. from Deonta
Keegan from Corey
Noah M. from Airimus
Jimmy from Lauren
TJ from Noah M.
Noah C. from Ryan
Over the years, women have nominated each other for breaking through in a race...for helping a teammate through a difficult time...for hosting a team pasta party...for showing that linked spirit. And as alums have come home for Bee Linked in July, visited at meets, or checked in via FB, they have bragged that they still carry their links to this day. It goes without saying then, that a nomination to receive a link is the highest honor our team can give: a link from a teammate says, "You are part of our tradition."
This season, the following runners have been #linked4life:
Cici from MelMel
Ryan from Lauren, co-sign Noah C.
Janelley from Mary, co-sign Juliana
Candy from Janalise
Tony from Fia, co-sign Mary
Tati fro Cici, co-sign Janalise
Robert from Caleb, co-sign Xander, Mary, & Steven G.
Alex Q. from Janalise, co-sign Lauren
Joan from Steven G.
Alex P. from Nathaly T.
Lauren from Rachel
Nathaly T. from Mary
Corey from Noah C.
Mary from Tyla
Airimus from Corey
Tristan D. from Tony
Fia from Alivia
Braden from Joan
Juliana from Sheila
Dani from Cici, co-sign Lauren
Caleb from Robert
Rachel from Noah C.
Xander from Ryan
Tyla from Mary
Steven G. from Deonta
Keegan from Corey
Noah M. from Airimus
Jimmy from Lauren
TJ from Noah M.
Noah C. from Ryan
