Pope John Paul II Cross-Country And Track & Field Hall of Honor

Why Sports Banners?

We finished the creation of online banners for the JPII Running Community in March 2024. The Digital Hall of Honor recognizes exceptional performances since the inception of the cross-country and track and field programs at JPII.

Banners displayed online or in schools have been shown to inspire future generations to some degree.

Said differently, aspiring student-athletes can draw inspiration from banners highlighting past accomplishments. Sports banners illustrate the potential of what hard work and dedication can do in life.

Banners can also highlight team accomplishments, fostering a sense of community and teamwork that encourages working together to achieve common goals.

Banners serve as condensed sports history books for schools, providing a quick insight into the past and a visual reminder of a team's shared heritage in one aspect of school. They also help connect past and present generations and inspire others to contribute to their community and school's rich history.

Banners are an essential type of support service for sports events. They provide encouragement and engagement to students, families, friends, and community members. Acting as a central point of recognition and celebration, they create a sense of pride in the community. Most importantly, banners help reinforce the importance of supporting youth as they pursue their passions, dreams, and God-given potential.

Program Background

The JPII cross-country boys' team was formed in 2011, and the girls' team was formed in 2018. The boys' and girls' track and field teams of JPII were established in 2018.

I worked with a graphics artist to create the digital banners to honor the hard work of student-athletes, their parents, and other individuals who helped the kids in their journey.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state cross-country championships were canceled in 2020, and the track and field championships were canceled in 2020 and 2021.

JPII Girls Washington State High School Championships

The JPII Girls cross-country and track and field teams have won eight Washington State High School championships since 2018. These include four consecutive state cross-country champions in Pasco, Washington, one state track and field state championship, and three academic state cross-country titles.

The girls and boys have also won many state track and field and cross-country individual titles and state track, and field athletes of the year as selected by “The Runner.”

The girls also have a second and third place finish at the State Track and Field championships and many league titles, district titles, and sportsmanship awards.

JPII Boys Washington State Championship Awards

The JPII boys have performed exceptionally well at the state cross-country championships in Pasco for the past five years. They have secured the second position five years in a row, which is a record. It's worth noting that they have been the number one team in the state in the smallest division for four of those five years. It's important to mention that JPII competes against larger school classifications cross-country to compete for a state title in both the boys' and girls' divisions.

Unlike other small school sports in the State of Washington, no state title is awarded for their small state classification.

The boys have won many state individual track and field titles and state track and field athlete of the year honors since 2018, just like the girls.

The boys also have second and fourth-place podium finishes to their credit at the state track and field championships and many league titles, district titles, and sportsmanship awards.

During the COVID-19 years, both cross-country teams were ranked number one in the state on Athletic.net. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, no state championships were held in those years. Despite the challenging circumstances, we remain grateful for the young men and women who persevered through these difficult times. They continued their workouts and competed with no state championship events in sight.

The boys' and girls' teams have won eight state championships, sixteen podium team finishes, and seven individual state titles since 2018.

More importantly, these kids have amazing hearts, consistently encourage their teammates and other teams, and love God and others. They are some of the finest young people I've ever known who have become or will become strong servant leaders in their unique callings.

Blessings,

Coach Weber

Philippians 4:13

Washington State High School Girl's Championships