"The toughest guy for me to guard was Magic. I was a great defender, and I'd get up into him the first game, and he had that smirk like he's looking over talking to me, and it pissed me off ...

It was roughly around this time last year when head coach James Smirk and his assistant coaches made the decision to change the philosophy of the way he went about training his cross country teams.

My memories make me shake my head as I smirk, smile, and belly laugh. What a great ride, and oh, the lessons I’ve learned—and learned—and learned. I take responsibility and credit myself for ...