On Friday, October 25, the EC girls cross country team huddled together before the start of the Region 36 cross country meet. Head coach Mary Williams looked at the team and told them, “The boys did it last night. We can go out and do it today.” At the finish line the atmosphere was palpable, everyone knew the Mountaineers had done it. But the team refused to believe is until the scores were officially posted. The tone for success had been set for EC athletics with the football team’s success and the soccer team’s district and regional titles. Mountaineers stand by their motto Semper Altius, Always Higher.
Following the season both coaches, John Haezebrouck and Mary Williams, were named regional coach of the year by their respective coaches associations. The Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Associations (MITCA) recognized all regional coaches of the year at the Friday luncheon on Friday, November 8 at their annual conference held in Mt. Pleasant.
Coach Haezebrouck has coached the Mountaineers for nine years. Athletic director Ann Serra-Lowney commented, “There is no one more deserving of this award than John. The team worked hard over four years to achieve this, but John has stuck with this team through all the highs and lows to bring them to this level of success. His dedication to the team is truly noteworthy.”
Ann, an accomplished coach herself who was inducted in the CHSL Hall of Fame last year, told both coaches, “I’ve coached a lot of years, and I’ve never won a regional title. Please make sure you enjoy every minute of this and don’t any of you take it for granted. It may have seemed easy because you accomplished it in such a short period of time and with such a young group of athletes, but there was nothing easy about what you’ve done this season.”
Coach Williams has coached the Mountaineers for four years. “I went home that night and typed up an email thanking the coaches who have impacted me in my young career. Four years ago, I knew little about what I was getting myself into, but coaches and former coaches like MITCA treasurer and EC grandparent Jerry Lasceski, Shrine coach Faith Luddy, Lakes former coach Dave Hankey, and others have taken me under their wings and helped me along. Everest now has a successful program, and we look forward to the coming seasons. We are blessed to belong to the Catholic High School League and have a network of support behind the program. And, of course, I wouldn’t be the coach I am without Ann’s support, trust, and belief in me. I never dreamed of coaching until she asked me if I would consider it, and it has become a true passion.”
