The question that was running through everyone’s mind this past weekend was the same. How can there be a ‘New England-wide’ high school championship race hosting 219 athletes, from five states, when Mother Nature seemed to be offering only tough love to her northern, snow loving, children this winter? Well, the question might not have been verbatim in everyone’s mind but, the issue still lingered.
When the teams, and their families, from Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York rolled into Mountain Top’s parking lot on Friday there was an air of confident anxiety churning inside the staff. All winter long, the lack of snow formed an unwelcome dark cloud that hovered over the resort’s Nordic Center, where cross country skiing has played a major part in what makes The Mountain Top Inn & Resort so enjoyable.
Then on Sunday morning, there was a sigh of relief that could almost be heard over the shotgun blast signaling the start of the 2012 TD Bank Eastern High School Championship’s final race. The countless hours of snow-making, grooming, organizing, and planning paid off in the end; in a winter where rain drops seemed more common than snowflakes.
With the help of close to fifty volunteers, NENSA, TD Bank, L.L. Bean, and an entire Mountain Top staff wide effort, the three day event exceeded expectations.
The smiles that seemed to be stuck on the faces of the athletes, whether they were reading their impressive individual times or enjoying a game of Ultimate Frisbee after a hearty meal, gave a purpose to all of the hard work. In the end that was what the weekend was all about; providing the athletes the most exciting and memorable experience possible.
Although the Vermont team won the event, and individual racers from each of the five states walked away with medals, the weekend did not have an overly competitive feel to it. Everyone that stayed at the inn, racers, coaches, families, volunteers, and officials, came together as a community, happy to be involved in a major winter event although the temperature felt like early summer.
When the award ceremony ended and the crowds dispersed it was realized what a remarkable feat had been accomplished. Mother Nature definitely dealt Mountain Top a bad hand this winter yet, through determination, unity, and a little ‘Yankee ingenuity’ the decision to persevere, instead of fold, paid off. It is amazing how persistence can quickly change a losing hand into a full house.
Blog post written by:
Justin Merrill
Grounds Crew at The Mountain Top Inn & Resort
