The StumpJump race raised a total of $9,000, with $3,500 going to the Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC), $3,500 to the Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies), and the remainder for this gift. The CTC administers and has constructed the Cumberland Trial, which runs right behind the High School. The Boonies helps facilitate the Rock/Creek Trail Series races through volunteer work as well as trail building and maintenance. The StumpJump takes place on the trail, starting and finishing at the new High School. In addition, the Cross Country team uses the trails for training. These three groups have formed a healthy partnership that ensures the vitality of trails on Signal Mountain and elsewhere.
Rock/Creek also has provided sponsorship throughout this inaugural season. As Les Hegwood, the team's coach, explains, "Rock/Creek and our team have formed a tight partnership in which the kids on my team have been outfitted from head to toe with some of the greatest technical trail running apparel around. They have assisted in hosting the StumpJump 50K, a race included in the Rock/Creek Trail Series, and will have the finest racing clock and timing equipment around all because of the generous monetary gifts from Rock/Creek."
The cross country program has seen a strong start in its inaugural year. Hegwood elaborates: "As I reflect on our inaugral cross country season in which the boys earned a trip to the state meet- having finished as runners up in the region- one phrase comes to mind: 'taking off.' I saw the kids surpass personal best after personal best and really come into their own as runners this season. Without the support of Rock/Creek and the great people associated with the team, our season would not have been half the success it was."
Dawson Wheeler, co-owner of Rock/Creek and a Baylor graduate, presented the $2,000 check to Hegwood, and shared his enthusiasm for the High School: "Although I went to Baylor and this is a brand new school, I'm thrilled to support these guys because they're my neighbors and they're doing so much to raise the profile of Signal Mountain's wild spaces. Tennessee ranks #44 in spending on education, and as obesity and poor health are on the rise, it's becoming increasingly important to include outdoor recreation as a part of public education. Public-private partnerships are a proven way to help increase the quality of education for our youth."
Whorton echoed the enthusiasm of Wheeler and Hegwood, pointing to the difficulty of the trails on Signal Mountain as a factor in the team's success: "By training on these challenging and beautiful trails, these runners are building a strong base that will allow them to compete with the best runners in the state. I think Signal Mountain High School will quickly earn a reputation for being a very tough team to beat, and once we complete their course, only the bravest high schools will show up for meets here."
For more information on Signal Mountain High School:
http://www.signalmountainhighschool.com/
For more information on the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k:
http://www.rockcreek.com/
