Next Generation Track Club in Texas

by   July 31, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Next Generation Track Club in Texas for Junior Olympics

   Alaiya Neri-Givens is a 9-year-old sprinter for the Next Generation DefendersTrack Club. She was one of about 35 runners and coaches working hard on Monday afternoon at the Salisbury High School track. When practice started at 5:30pm, the air temperature was 92 degrees.

    Alaiya said, “When I was a kid, I went out and ran around the house a lot on my own. And now I can beat most of the boys!” Alaiya loves math in school, but her dream is to be a track star. The next step for Alaiya and these coaches and kids is the National Junior Olympics in Humble, Texas, which is near Houston. She is one of about 70 kids who began practicing and competing in March, and the remaining 40 kids placed well enough in regionals to reach the national competition. Alaiya’s best 100-meter time is 14.08 seconds and she’s shooting for 13 seconds next week.

     Lennox Crutchfield, another 9-year-old, is about to enter 5th grade. He competes in the long jump, the 100 and 200 meters. He said, “This is my only sport so far, and I want to keep getting better at whatever event I am best at.”

    Head coach for the track club is Shimiah Brooks who was born in Salisbury, then began running AAU track in 2006 at 12 years old. Brooks said, “Track gave me purpose, identity and discipline. I fell in love with the triple jump, then expanded into hurdles and sprints.”  She was a three-time North Carolina State Champion.

     At Clemson University, Brooks was a two-time ACC champion, then later earned two Sun Belt Conference titles at Arkansas State University. Her top collegiate efforts were 13.43 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles and 6.29 meters in the long jump.

    Brooks said,” Now, I use everything I learned as an athlete to shape and lead the next generation of competitors. When I am not coaching, I’m teaching. I love equipping students with practical skills in entrepreneurship, finance, and leadership that will carry them far beyond the classroom. When the opportunity came to launch a competitive AAU track in our hometown, I knew that I had to be part of it!”

     The Next Generation club had a first-time indoor track team earlier this year that took 16 athletes to AAU Indoor Nationals. Jordan Waller became the program’s first national champion and set a national meet record in the process. Jordan Waller runs track already for Salisbury High School. He said, “In the seventh grade at Knox, I thought I was a sprinter, but I fell in love with the 400 meters which is much more mental. I had to decide what I really wanted and now I am very goal oriented.” Waller’s best 400-meter time is 46.08 seconds, and he led most of the track workouts on Monday afternoon. 

          Many of the athletes already compete in various sports for Salisbury High School or will in the future. The track club uses the SHS and Catawba College facilities. The outdoor season typically runs from March through early August, depending on how far the athletes advance in the championship series.

      The AAU Junior Olympic Games take place from July 27 through August 2, which includes seven full days of elite competition. The team will be traveling from Salisbury in 15-passenger vans to create a shared experience that builds team unity. They will be staying in Airbnb’s near the competition venue to keep the environment comfortable, family-style, and focused.

     Brooks said, “This will be a life-changing experience for our athletes. For many of them, it will be their first time traveling out of state and competing on a national stage. Being able to travel all the way to Houston, Texas to represent Salisbury and the state of North Carolina is something they will never forget. They will be surrounded by the top youth athletes from across the country, which will push them to believe in themselves and raise their level of competition.”

       Additional coaches are Nick Summers, Brandon Broadway, Preston Ellis, Harold Reid, Shintara Crutchfield, Duwan Robertson, Justin Lewis and Allen Hines. Coaches are committed to making sure that every athlete gets the attention, development and discipline they need to succeed.  Brooks added, “Each coach brings unique strengths to the table. Together, we are not just building athletes. We are building character, confidence and community!  We are taking over 40 athletes, along with 8 to 10 coaches and assistants, and several parents will be traveling as well to help with supervision, meals, and support.”

      Each athlete’s total cost is around $600 to $750. This includes transportation, lodging, meals, registration, and uniforms. Many parents are traveling alongside their kids to Houston, to support and be fully present for what will be one of the most meaningful moments in their child’s athletic journey. Families cover a portion of the cost. Brooks said, “I always remind our parents this this not just a payment, but an investment in their child’s dream and future. We work hard to ease the financial burden through fundraisers, raffles, a car wash, and generous community donations. The club is grateful for every contribution that helps these kids get to the starting line.”

     A benefit car wash is scheduled at Immunotek at 640 Jake Alexander West in Salisbury on July 19th from 12-4pm. Car wash donations are $10, and trucks are $20.

        Romar Morris, co-founder and program director of Next Generation, said, “Our goal is to invest in the next generation. I believe that Rowan County has some of the best athletes in the state. The community of the team opens them up and we see parents and kids buying into our program. We want to plant seeds and provide the same opportunities that coaches gave me to create the cycle. We offer a year-round program that includes football and cheerleading, and competing in track makes these kids better in other sports. Look for more to come!”

      The next event for the local running community is the Prediction 5K on August 23rd at City Park. Look for this and other activities at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Next Generation Track Club in Texas for Junior Olympics

Wordy

by   July 30, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Funny story. When we were making arrangements at the funeral home after David’s passing, the person helping us, who is also our nephew went over each cost. When it came to the obituary, he paused a bit. “You did a great job writing it Mrs. Lynna. I wouldn’t change anything. Typically the cost to run it in the local paper is $175. But this one is going to be a little more since… it’s a bit longer.” I laughed as I asked, ” So you’re saying I got a little wordy.” Kyler smiled. “But it’s very good,” he said. “This one will run $325.” I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing. “Sounds about right. David always called me a ‘wordsmith.’ What he actually meant was VERBOSE!” It helped to laugh and remember his teasing.

Today is his birthday. He would have turned 70 today. Together we had a running joke that in February, when I had my birthday five months before him, we BOTH turned a year older. That started way back in the eighties when we visited a church with some friends down in South Carolina. They handed out visitor cards with a place to mark age categories. Since I had already had my birthday, I landed in a higher age bracket than my beloved. He elbowed me just to point out that he was indeed in the category with college and career people while I might as well have been listed with the cougars. He and his buddy Barry laughed so hard the pew was shaking. We had a little Come to Jesus meeting when we got home and you know… that situation never repeated itself. Until now.

My sweet David had been saying, “We’re seventy,” since February… just because he knew it made me happy. Then the Salisbury Post had to go and tell the truth. He was only 69. But as I said in the obituary. Praise God our prayers were answered and he did not suffer another 12 days so he could turn an earthly 70 today. Thankfully, he was too busy catching up with his mom, and mine as he made his way to Jesus. I picture a little jog as he hurried to meet the Lord he loves. And yes, I got a bit wordy with his obit. But oh the things I could still tell. It reminds me of the last verse in the book of John where he says the whole world couldn’t contain the books if he were to write down all his stories of Jesus.

That’s how I feel. David was a funny, gentle, hard-headed man who took sweet care of me for fifty one years. All the words in the world cannot describe how much I miss him.

Happy Birthday my love.

Grandparent Summers

by   July 27, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

For those of us who lived close enough to spend a week or two with grandparents during the summer, the season is a time for being spoiled. But I wonder if you were spoiled the same way I was.

I remember very hot summers at my grandparents’ house on Sam Wilson Road in west Charlotte. The Price Is Right would be our morning TV time. Then, Grandmother would prepare lunch while her soaps or WBTV news was on the screen. Afterwards, my younger brother and I would find something to occupy ourselves with. Oddly, that rarely involved toys. We might venture off to the screened-in porch to hide under a table during a summer thunderstorm. I can smell that Southern summer rain scent even now. You know, the kind that comes after one of our hot, dry spells?

Evenings meant a good, straight-from-the-garden meal with Grandmother’s signature thin biscuits, which I still have not perfectly replicated. Tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden would make an appearance, and usually some good fried okra. If we were fortunate, a bird’s nest of mashed potatoes and peas would grace our plate. But chicken and dumplings were the real star of the show for me.

Speaking of the garden, there was always time to snap peas or shuck corn. I do not recall complaining about how hot it was when we did these things. Maybe because soon after, there would be a refreshing watermelon (spitting those black seeds or scraping them out with a dull knife was an art form) or some of their homemade ice cream. I am still not sure if I liked the peach or the strawberry best. Or maybe it was banana? 

Sometimes, Granddaddy or Uncle Bill would bring the biggest bag of buttered popcorn we had ever seen. Would we be able to finish it before we went back home?

At some point in the day, Granddaddy (or even Grandmother!) would pitch a ball to a little tomboy or her brother to smack into the yard. Sometimes we would play rolly bat – a game that I only remember playing with my grandparents and cousins. It was my Granddaddy who taught me to ride my bicycle a summer after my father died. Other entertainment would include rides in an oversized wheelbarrow. My brother and I always thought that was the best ride anyone could dream up. Did any other kids have such adventures?

My grandparents spoiled us, not by taking us to places that centered around us, nor buying things to occupy our time, or even in letting us choose what shows to watch. They spoiled us for anything else matching or exceeding those memories. The best we can do now is try to recreate something as special as that. Excuse me, I’m off to help my daughter make dumplings for lunch.

Ashlie Miller spent many early summers in Charlotte, NC. She and her husband raised their family in Rowan County and currently Cabarrus County. You may email her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

A New Beginning

by   July 26, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

A New Beginning

            We are quickly approaching the time when students will be returning to the classroom. It is hard to imagine that summer vacation is coming to a close. Please pray for teachers and all the staff that work at the schools. They care for and nurture our children. Ask God to work through them as they raise up the next generation.

            A new school year means it is a new beginning. Last year’s successes and failures are gone and students begin with a clean slate. Teachers have had time to rest and recuperate and the challenge of a new year with a new group of students is set before them. Pray that our schools will be safe for the children and that they will have the equipment and supplies they need to grow and expand their minds.

            Today was my first day with new students at the community college. It is always exciting to meet my new students and begin to help them discover their potential. We had a good first day meeting each other and starting to get their minds working and thinking. Hope and optimism are at their brightest as we begin our new journey together. I can’t wait to see what my new students will accomplish and help them take steps to success.

            The reality is that new beginnings require work for both the students and the teachers. There is lots of planning that goes into student success. It doesn’t just happen. Creating the right environment and encouraging the right attitudes are big contributors to success. But all the planning and enthusiasm on the teachers’ side is not enough for success. Students need to bring the right attitude and effort to the table. They also need a good support system at home to help them take the necessary steps.   

            The same thing is required to help a believer begin their walk with Christ. They need help. Someone has to teach them and help them develop the spiritual disciplines that are needed to grow and mature in Christ. Some may say that those are the pastor’s responsibilities. That’s not entirely true. It takes all of us working together to help new believers begin their journey. Those of us who have been around for a while are called to encourage and support the new believers.

            Some people think that discipleship and training falls to the Sunday school teachers. While Sunday school classes can help with the basics of our faith, they can’t keep going over the basics every time a new believer comes along. Mature believers need to be encouraged and challenged in Sunday school classes, too.

            The problem with faith is that it is not a once and done thing. Faith is constantly evolving as we grow and mature in the Lord. In the beginning, new believers need spiritual milk. As we grow we need to move on to solid foods that help us grow and develop deep roots that will help us through the dry and challenging times.

            There is no retirement plans in the Kingdom of God. We are all expected to keep working at both growing and helping the younger ones in the faith. Older believers can bring wisdom and guidance to younger believers. This happens in many ways beyond Sunday school and church.  We need to be ready in season and out of season to help younger believers grow and develop their faith.  

            We are constantly encouraged in the Bible to pass on our faith. One of the effective ways of doing that is through building relationships, which takes time. We can do that through sharing meals, working on projects, or participating in small groups. Developing connections with other believers builds a deeper commitment to each other, the church, and the Lord. These opportunities open doors for us to speak into each other’s lives. 

            We all find ourselves in different places in our spiritual journeys. Sometimes we need to be encouraged and challenged, and other times we need to be the encourager and challenger. I want to encourage you to be in relationship with other believers, especially those who are new to the faith. If you are new to the faith, find some older believers that you can connect with and receive from to help you along on your new spiritual journey. If you are an older and experienced believer I encourage you to share your stories, your testimonies, with younger believers so they can develop strong roots that will help them through the storms of life. When you think about it, we are all in school, learning spiritual lessons that will help us grow and mature in Christ.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

God is Our Strength

by   July 25, 2025 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

1 Thessalonians 3:13  May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

  • No question – life presents so many challenges that can distract us from our walk with the Lord.
  • But – God strengthens us and like no other.
  • God would like for us to be blameless (walking in right standing and with a clear conscience) with Him.

Prayer:  Thank You that You are my strength giver that I can depend upon You because I am weak and I need Your strength Lord that I can overcome every temptation and difficulty in life.  I praise You for Your strength and I lean on Your strength today.  Amen.
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Charlotte Corriher Makes Running Extreme Fun!

by   July 24, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Charlotte Corriher Makes Running Extreme Fun!

       Explaining the title of this column is my first challenge! I am not usually surprised about the capabilities of local runners, but I read with interest Mark Wineka’s column about Charlotte Corriher in 2017, I was floored. How could Charlotte be doing this and I didn’t know about it?

    Charlotte started running in 2004, after losing 25 pounds through improved nutrition and exercise.  She worked her way through local 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons, but then decided to run her first marathon in 2006 through the Team in Training program.  With more marathons, she met members of the 50 States Marathon Club and set her goal to run a marathon in every state.

     After completing the 50 state marathons, people kept asking her “What’s next?” Charlotte said, “Runners I met while living in Charleston convinced me to run further. I fell in love with the atmosphere of ultras, races longer than 50K (31.07 miles) and more relaxed than road races and regular marathons.  Since I am out there longer, and some races tend to be repeated loops of 3-5 miles, there’s more chance to meet and get to know other runners.”

       Charlotte once did three marathons in three days and another time she did three 100-milers in 16 days. She said, “That’s probably the craziest things I have done. That 100-miler schedule came about because in 2021 I had plans for four 100-milers in less than seven weeks (3/27, 4/9, 4/23, 5/15).  I decided to just run 100K at the 4/23 race, to save my legs for the very difficult Keys 100 on 5/15. The next year, I wanted to do the first three and make sure I got to 100 miles in all of them, but that 3rd race moved to the weekend in between the first two…so my mind was set and ready for the challenge.”

     I asked about Charlotte’s training plan to get all these races done. She replied, “Yes, I actually use the races for training, so I really don’t have a set training schedule. And since I run them year-round, there is no ‘off-season’. I may do fewer races in the summertime so I can enjoy living at the beach. I do take days off, but not a set day, as it may depend on my race schedule. I do try to lower my mileage before a race and take a day or two off after a 100-miler.”

       As of this writing, Charlotte has run 180 marathons (they are all 26.2 miles). She has also run 126 ultras. Of these ultras, 33 of them are 100-milers. Charlotte said, “Since I started running, I have 29,657 total miles with 12,621 being races. I am working on my eighth consecutive “Run the Year” (running the number of miles for the year, so 2025 this year).”

     I have written about a lot of serious runners, but none like Charlotte. She is seldom injured and reports her marathon personal best is 4 hours, 13 minutes and 55 seconds, a very respectable time. Charlotte added, “I love the fact that running, and specifically ultra running, is a very accessible sport. I see all ages, paces, body types, and experiences. There are so many races that are welcoming and inclusive, and those are the races I like to support.”

        Now for the festive part and what sets Charlotte apart from other runners. Of her 306 total marathons and ultra races, 302 of them have been done in extensive and uniquely designed costumes. Her motto is, “If you can’t be fast, be festive!”

       Here is a paragraph that explains festive better than I ever could. Charlotte said, “They may slow me down if it’s a hot day, but I’m always committed to finishing the race in my costume. The salmon in Alaska was a family project, as mom and I designed it, mom made it, and my sister Susan painted it. My Space Shuttle from the Space Coast Marathon 2017 even got the attention and approval of a NASA rocket scientist at the finish line.  Since my favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz, my 50 states finish at the 2018 Land of Oz Marathon in Kansas included six different costumes of the characters. Mom drove along and we met at pre-determined places for my costume changes. My costume during the 2022 A Race for The Ages was a tribute to my mom, as I dressed as the different life phases of the Monarch Butterfly when she raises and releases them every year. My 2023 Strolling Jim 42 miler was a tribute to my dad who had just passed. I was dressed as Floyd Carruthers riding Strolling Jim, the first Tennessee Walking Horse National Champion. My grandfather and father both rode Tennessee Walking Horses, and my family attended the National Championship in Shelbyville, TN. for many decades. In longer distances, I try to make my costumes a little simpler, but sometimes I still go a little crazy.”

      Charlotte has never had a major injury. For post-race treats, Charlotte loves Rice Krispies and French fries. She said, “Typically I like red meat for lunch/dinner after a race so a big fat cheeseburger, or nice juicy steak. I used to allow myself to eat anything I wanted for a week after a marathon, but now I am doing them closer together, so I had to cut that back to just a day or two.”

     Charlotte is set to run the 2026 Winter Flight 8K on February 1st, and she will be the keynote speaker at the SRR meeting and pasta dinner the evening before. Charlotte is a 1986 South Rowan High grad and grew up in Landis.

      Charlotte added, “My sister Susan Corriher lives in Landis, and she helps me with painting some of my costumes. My other sister is Mary, and I have two brothers, Frederick and John. My Dad, Fred Corriher Jr, passed away in 2022, and although he never understood why I wanted to run so many miles, he was still very supportive.  I used to call him every Friday afternoon, typically while I was driving to a race, and we would talk about it. Mom, Kay, usually creates and sews the new costumes back in Landis.”

     More on Charlotte in a later column and at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

A Not So Sound Mind

by   July 23, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

It’s been a week since David’s passing. And it’s starting to feel real. Yesterday, Sunday, our regular routine of breakfast, church online, time on the deck with our coffee, or lately a tall glass of cold water, was not to be. I’ve never been a television person and don’t understand all the remotes. I now know one of them turns on the overhead fan and lights. Plus thanks to my son-in-law Jeff, I somewhat know how to turn on the TV. But to find Elevation Worship on YouTube? It was pretty much a crapshoot.

That’s where I was Sunday morning. Using words like crapshoot and crapstorm and stinkin’ dadblame stupid remotes. TRYIN’ TO WORSHIP HERE PEOPLE! Where’s the YOUTUBE?!! Then there it was… I don’t know why. I certainly wasn’t praying.

But somebody was.

So I listened to the very good message which seemed tailor made for me and found myself worshiping. As I thought on the things that were said, I fixed a bowl of Cheerios with an overripe banana and headed to the deck. That was mine and David’s Sunday morning thing… sitting on the deck and talking about the good things from the message. But it was quiet. Too quiet. And it hit me. David’s not going to join me here… ever again.

By bedtime, the reality of his passing was full blown. A while later, the Lord whispered a verse from 2 Timothy. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” I needed that so much. It dawned on me that as long as I live in fear, I will not have peace. Instead I need the power and love and especially the sound mind that He so gently offers. It seems that as long as I walk in fear, those good things can’t come. As I write this, another verse came to mind.

2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” I pray that He will do this for me. May the Lord gently keep us who know Him from fear as we bring our thoughts into submission to Him. Sometimes that’s the first and greatest step towards a sound mind.

O Lord, how I need the peace that only You can give.

About ten years ago, on a road trip to see our children in Texas.

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