Page 15 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2021- Online Magazine

SENIOR 2 SENIOR

did,” one of my powerlifting friends commented
upon joining offseason. She went on to describe
her appreciation that Coach Darden understood
she was not a runner but did not allow her to
give up before she had even begun.

Coach Darden’s mentorship has extended
beyond the athletic program as he often stands
outside the door of his classroom and greets
students as we each meander to our classes.
His loud, ecstatic greetings of “How are you?”
and “Put on a smile!” encapsulates his passion
for teaching and coaching. Countless students’
moods have brightened upon a booming “I like
that backpack you got there!” or other phrases,
delivered in his signature and infectiously
joyous manner of speaking. Regardless of the
where and how one has met Coach Darden, he
or she could not deny the simple potency of his
words and actions that inspire and uplift those
who work with him.
Shortly after my team’s triumphant emergence
as State Champions, I soon discovered that my
final cross-country meet would also be Coach
Darden’s last as he plans to retire at the end
of the 2020-2021 school year. I stand as one of
many testaments to the characteristically fervent
determination he used to inspire and change
many young lives over the course of thirty-
eight years. As Coach has decided to replace
his “coaching hat with a grandparent one,” I
wish him the best of luck and cannot wait to see
the quality of his character reflected in both his
grandchildren and in myself.

Article Submitted by
Alyssa Russell SUNDOWN HIGH SCHOOL

Alyssa Russell is an NHS scholar representing Sundown High School in numerous
extracurricular activities, including Cross Country, Track, Powerlifting, UIL Spelling &
Vocabulary, UIL Literary Criticism, One Act Play, Band, and the school’s Gifted & Talented
program. When she is not participating in school-sanctioned events or doing homework,
she enjoys writing, cooking, and playing video games. Once she graduates from
Sundown, Alyssa plans on attending Hardin-Simmons University, where she will major in
Psychology and minor in Creative Writing to become a counselor and writer.

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