Tuba City Elementary School TCES Cross Country Team Placed 3rd
Please join me in congratulating our youngest runners. Over the weekend the girls’ team from TCES placed 3rd at the AZ Youth Championships in Surprise, Arizona. Thank you to the student-athletes, parents, coaches and school administrators for supporting our young runners. Please take some time to read the email from Coach Caitlin Williams. Congratulations to Tuba City Elementary Little Warriors!
With Warrior Pride, Sharlene Navaho – Superintendent
Left to right back row; Kate Upshaw (5th grade), Kari Yazzie (5th grade), Peyton Bennett (5th grade), Annalise Graymountain (5th grade)
Left to right front row: Ilyssa Honahni (4th grade) Taleyah Klain (4th grade) Emily Scott (4th grade)
I just wanted to formally share a momentous achievement that the TCES XC girls program achieved this past Saturday (November 4th). On November 4th our TCES XC programs participated in the AZ Youth Championships in Surprise, AZ. The division the teams entered in was the 4th-6th grade division.
Our girls’ team earned the third-place recognition out of 13 teams. I was later informed by the race director that TCES was the youngest team in the race division (having no 6th grade representation). If you happened to watch this team in the regular season, these girls always ran as a pack so on my end I worked on their speed and pacing throughout the season so they could be competitive against other AZ middle schools. The girls did awesome, I am so proud of how they did not allow their young age to hinder their performances. I am also very fortunate to have worked with a group of girls who allowed me to bring out their best. They survived some tough workouts, and it came together for this race. They didn’t turn away from hard work but rather embraced it. I also want to acknowledge the parents of these runners (Marietta Yazzie, Peggy Honahni, Alshonie Klain, Jayleen Johnson, Coby Scott, Bridgett Yazzie, Tristan Graymountain, Rosine Kee, and Terrance Billy). As a coach, I did not face any negative experiences with their parents. They were all supportive of my coaching, my expectations and were rooting for all the girls to succeed.
I would also like to acknowledge our boys’ team. They came in 9th out of 12 teams. I am pleased they understood about pack work as they came in 38th, 49th, 50th, 51st, and 52nd place. They have shown true camaraderie running and encouraging one another on the course. If the coaches had more time with them, we believe their team placing could have been higher. But I am proud of their growth and how throughout the season they have improved and built a good relationship with one another. Now they have the experience of what a state race is and how they can improve individually.
My coaching philosophy is “Together We Win.” I believe many individuals involved allowed this achievement to occur: my assistant coaches (Mr. Tristan Antonio, Mr. Derek Begay, Ms. Jayleen, and Ms. Carolyn Yazzie), the runners, their parents, transportation dept, the business office, our secretary-Ms. Theresa Tom, the athletic director-April Clairmont for allowing my runners to join the sendoff, Ms. Raquel Curley who assisted me in filling out the paperwork for an overnight athletic trip, and the administrators-Ms. Sophia Begody and Ms. Tanya Honahnie also Mr. Arvis Myron who I learned a lot about distance running from. In addition to my own mother, Kimberley Williams who mentored me in how to function a program with over 80 participants. She has been leading the girls’ basketball program at the TCHS with success. She always reminds me to do it for the kids and its always about the kids.
Thank you again for making this trip possible. As one of our runners said “Coach, Tuba City Elementary is on the map now.” I reassured her that our program is something that people will be watching. Please continue to invest in our elementary athletic programs. TCES XC starts at kindergarten, and I am looking forward to seeing what can happen next year with our third graders fulfilling the shoes of our promoting fifth graders. Also, to see what the first group of kindergarteners who started the program (they are now in first grade) can achieve by the time they are in 4th-5th grade with their long distance running.
Ms. Caitlin Williams, M.ED
2nd Grade, Tuba City Elementary School
2nd Grade, Tuba City Elementary School
TCES Cross Country Team Recognized by Board Members
Recognition given to TCES Cross Country Team and Coaches at the November 08, 2023 TCUSD Regular School Board Meeting. Board members Roselyn Riggs, Ron Begay and Harriett Sloan-Carter were in attendance.