Leigh Wright – mother of Fred Wiersig – class of 2019

As a parent, words can’t express how much the Cross Country/Track program at HHS changed my son Fred, as a person.  After four years in the program, my son developed strong leadership skills, self-motivation and confidence far beyond what he would have accomplished in high school alone.  My son was coached/mentored, on and off the field, to build strong character, a sense of self-worth and to always strive for more.  Having a coach, who is also a teacher at HHS, gives the athletes an on-site resource at their school.  Coach Borden makes sure these kids all watch out for each other, be respectful to one another and the coaches.  This team holds one of if not the highest GPA on campus of any sport and discipline issues are rarely a problem for these athletes.  They are taught by coaches that lead by example, gain their respect and can grow your children in ways in which we as parents cannot.  I am proud of the accomplishments my athlete made on and off the course, even though he was a not point contributor in many events he was stilled coached, mentored, and was very much part of a team.  The sport was so different that any other we had experienced – and it allowed my son to become the man he is today.

My son has continued to exhibit the character and leadership skills that this team brought to him as a college freshman. Doing the right thing when no one is looking was a phrase that Coach Borden taught my son and as he has faced a freshman year of college with all the regular challenges and then the major shift of so much in the world this year, I can say Fred has taken that phrase to a new level. He has risen to this challenge with maturity, responsibility and definitely knowing that doing the right thing isn’t always easy but is critical to success.  He has gone on to win scholarships, be a college leader, and continue to run on his own for stress management and physical wellbeing. He feels so shaped by his time with the HHS XC team that he has returned this summer to help coach out at 5:30 or 6:00 Am in the morning at John Hunt, voluntary because he wants to give back to a whole new set of student athletes, and help provide them the same experience that he received. Nothing makes you prouder as a parent to see that mindset of “paying it forward”, which I credit his strong commitment to that attitude with being a member of this team for four years and now as mentor and coach to new students.