Guilderland XC History
Flying Dutchmen Through The Years
Tawasentha Park was first used as a cross-country course in 1970. The idea to run races at Tawasentha is attributed to Dale Westcott, who in 1970 was the Frosh Boys cross-country Coach at Guilderland HS. Dale continues to be active with the Invitational.
Guilderland originally hosted a Junior High cross-country race at the HS. In 1970 the meet was moved to Tawasentha Park. There were six schools competing the first year. In 1970 the starting line was located just above the playground in the grassy area just above the present day start. The finish was parallel to the shuffleboard court next to the pool.
In 1971 the meet developed into a HS run. There were eight schools from the area who competed in that first Invy on the now infamous 2.5 mile course. The course, which was used up until 1994, began in the parking area by the tennis courts and headed past the shuffleboard courts, down the old paved hill towards the volleyball courts and large pavilion. The course then ran up & later down the hill to the ampitheater which was originally dirt but was paved over in the mid-1980's.
In 1984 "International" was added to the name of the Guilderland meet. Our first Canadian friends came to the meet from Georgetown Secondary School. Since then there have been six different Canadian schools represented.
To adapt to an evolving park and aleviate concerns over the injury-prone paved hill, a new course was introduced in 1995, on the 25th anniversary. Designed by Dieter Drake, a former Guilderland great and son of long time Coach Bill Drake, Guilderland unveiled a 5000 meter, 95% grass course that challenged runners in a new way.
In 1996 the Invy re-named its premiere boys race the Bill Drake Championship Race, in honor of Bill Drake's tremendous contribution to the meet and to the team after his retirement in 1994.
As Tawasentha Park was redesigned we made a major change to move the start/finish line to the "bottom" of the park. As of 1999 this became our permanent course. Course designer and current Varsity Coach, Bob Oates, feels that although short of the traditional 5000 meters, it is the most challenge course the park can offer (short of crossing the creek) and is equally exciting for spectators with its infamous "suicide hill" that blasts runners towards the finish.
In 2002 the Invy re-named its premiere girls race the Sandy Morley Championship Race, after long time Varsity Girls Coach, Sandy Morley retired in 2001.
A new era in Guilderland Cross-Country has begun with the introduction of a website in 2003 and it's connecting to its past by introducing an Alumni Race at this years Invitational.
In 2004 the Bill Drake and Sandy Morley Championship name-sakes were removed from "Championship Races". In an effort to make every varsity team eligible for a team championship, these awards now go to the team with the fastest five-person composite time! Now the team champion can come from any varsity race! Innovative and exciting to the finish!