At long last, I’m proud to present the first edition of our very own FM XC/TF alumni newsletter! Here’s what you’ll find in this issue:
Wait but why?
Upcoming events
Staying connected
How you can help
Recipes and baking tips
Wait but why?
The idea for a newsletter started last October, when the 1997 boys team was inducted into the FM Athletics Hall of Fame.
John Aris and Adam Wasileski organized a great reunion weekend and everyone who attended helped make it memorable. Special recognition goes to Paul Batten for wearing (and fitting into) his original FM singlet:
I went home the next day feeling immensely grateful, moderately hung over, and convinced of two things:
We should do more of these get-togethers.
An email list would make getting together and staying connected a lot easier.
So here we are: an email list including Bill, Jerry, and over 70 alumni from the boys and girls XC teams, mostly from class years 1998 through 2002.
Within those years, we’ve got about 60% of the boys team and 40% of the girls team—good rates given that they’re based on full team rosters (not just the top folks).
Outside those years, we don’t have hardly anyone—yet! If you keep in touch with XC/TF alumni who graduated before ’98 or after ’02 and might want to be part of this, please forward this email to them!
The newsletter is for all alumni of the XC and T&F programs. I’m starting with XC because the smaller team sizes make it easier to build a critical mass, but it won’t be nearly as fun without the full T&F family.
Upcoming events in CNY
Anyone going or want to go to one of these events? Let me know!
Oct - Alex Hatz (‘10) will be inducted into the FM Athletics Hall of Fame! Alex won several national and state titles while in high school, and he still holds the NYS record for the 1600m, modern super-spikes be damned. The ceremony hasn’t been scheduled, but it’s usually held the first Saturday in October.
Oct 15 - The Great New York State Marathon at Onondaga Lake Park, which includes a 5k, 10k, and half marathon. There’s at least one alum who’s registered!
Nov 4 - Section III Championship, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill (near Utica)
Jul 14 - Boilermaker 15k and 5k in Utica, NY. Save the date! This is a great opportunity for a mini-reunion. Open registration starts in February.
Stay connected
Stay connected on social media:
Tracking your fitness on Strava? Join the FM XC/T&F club!
Join the FM XC/T&F Alumni group on Facebook. It’s a great place for sharing photos, memories, and personal updates.
Follow @fmxctf on Instagram. This is a brand new account; anyone want to help get it off the ground?
How you can help
Yes, you!
Spread the word. Forward this email to folks who graduated before ‘98 or after ‘02. Tell them to subscribe and forward it to other alumni.
Help with the Instagram account. Send me team-related photos (past or present) to help get the Instagram account off the ground. If you want to be involved in an even bigger way, let’s chat.
Contribute to the next newsletter. Photos, stories, alumni news, program news, etc. No idea is a bad idea—except for Lonnie’s idea for a crossword puzzle.
Be a class ambassador. I was able to get in touch with most of the folks who were on the team when I was, but we need folks from other years to rally the wider group. No minimum time commitment; you just need to know people.
If you’re interested in any of the above, reply to this email!
Until next time…
That’s it for this newsletter. I hope to send something two to four times a year, as well as organize in-person gatherings every year or so. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!
Dan Duett
FM '01
PS - Special thanks to Lonnie Threatte (‘98) for sharing photos, co-writing this issue, and letting me eat lunch on the seniors ledge when I was a freshman.