The Parking Lot Pilgrimage
Some Journeys Should Never Be Made Alone
Sixteen years ago, I circled a hotel in a rental van, music blaring so loud you could feel the bass vibrating through the windows. My team of just ten kids were determined to make a statement and they decided that they would best accomplish this by LOLing and singing TI's newest hit “You Can Have Whatever You Like”. Our closest rivals were staying at the very hotel we were whirling around, and while we weren’t trying to intimidate them, we couldn’t resist the playful spectacle. We had no business being there—but somehow, we’d made it to the state championship (or at least the hotel parking lot).
I can still picture it—windows down, everyone belting out, 'Stacks on deck, Patron on ice,' while we looped around the hotel, laughing at how we’d stumbled into this moment. Not only had we just graduated the most successful class of seniors ever (winning a team State Championship by one of the largest margins ever, but a strain of meningitis had torn through our region earlier that year as well and set back many members of the cross country team in their training. Expectations were low. But this team, this tight-knit group, took it upon themselves to carry on the legacy of the year before. Against all odds, we were here, singing, laughing, and getting ready to face the biggest competition of our season. If you were to ask me if I was going to be singing in a van that night, I would have told you that we had no business being there at all. It is really quite amazing what people can do when they are unified together.
Wearing the Same Jersey, Chasing Different Goals
That high school team was something special (most of them were)—united by friendship, shared experience, and a bond that had been forged long before the season began. But when I became a college coach, I quickly realized that unity doesn’t come as easily. College athletes come from different places and backgrounds, and just putting the same jersey on them doesn’t guarantee they’ll work together as one.
Coaching a track and field team highlights this divide more than most sports. In high school, my athletes were close-knit, feeding off each other’s energy. But in college, track and field can feel like an amalgamation of individuals. You’ve got sprinters, throwers, jumpers and distance runners—each with their own mindset, ambitions, and drives. They might wear the same mascot on their chest, but their approach to competition is entirely different. And trust me, I learned the hard way that you can’t coach them all the same way—it just doesn’t work.
What makes a track and field team even more unique is the year-long competition. Cross country in the fall, indoor track in the winter, and outdoor track in the spring. Each season has its own national championships, but the real test often comes at the conference meets. And unlike team sports where unity is obvious, track and field feels like a collection of solo efforts—each athlete doing their own thing, then we’ll see how the team score shakes out at the end. It's individual success disguised as a team sport.
From Individuals to Teammates: The South Carolina Pilgrimage
I was always trying to recreate the unity I had seen with those high school teams, especially as a college coach. I remember a specific time when I believed it finally came together. We were in the van, traveling eight hours to South Carolina to compete in an invitation only meet (and other than our conference championships, probably one of the biggest meets we had that year). I told the athletes that this was a special pilgrimage to celebrate their hard work. Only a few were chosen for this trip—most were captains, the hardest workers, and the leaders, both in effort and attitude. This wasn’t just another meet; it was a culmination of all the work we’d done to build something more than just individual performances.
In preparation, I made sure to involve the athletes in every detail. One athlete chose the music for the trip, another helped plan the meals, and a few others discussed the best sports drinks to bring. I even put some in charge of running our social media accounts, documenting the entire experience. Everyone had a role to play. It wasn’t just about showing up to compete; it was about seeing how each individual's efforts, inside and outside of competition, could create something bigger—a team. I emphasized that while I hoped we’d show everyone how talented we were with our performances, I also wanted us to show how great we could be by the way we treated each other.
When we arrived, something incredible happened. They ate the food they’d picked for each other, celebrated each other’s successes, and captured every moment on social media. Even the concession workers and security guards at the University of South Carolina came up to me multiple times, praising how unified and supportive we were as a team. After a string of strong performances, as we walked back to our van, smiling and proud, I shared with the leaders what those outside observers had said. My assistant coaches chimed in, revealing just how much our socials were blowing up.
But the moment that brought me the most pride was when my captains looked at each other, standing in the parking lot of the indoor track and said, ‘We want to do this again.’ That’s when it finally happened. A bunch of individuals, with different disciplines and goals, came together. They sang the same songs, shared the same drinks, and celebrated the same journey—together, as a team climbing to the top of a mountain.
"For The Sake of Something Shared"
This story reminds me of the Psalm I read today—Psalm 133. It beautifully captures the same essence of unity that I experienced with my high school cross-country team and later with my college athletes. The Psalm begins:
"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." (Psalm 133:1-3)
Psalm 133, traditionally attributed to King David, is one of the "Songs of Ascent"—songs that was sang as they made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem for one of the three major festivals each year. These festivals brought together people from all over the land, ascending toward Jerusalem, the city on a hill. They would walk together, united in faith, and sing these songs as an expression of communal harmony.
The song reflects on a time in Israel's history when the people were scattered and living independently. The book of Judges describes this period, a time marked by disunity and self-interest, where "everyone did what was right in their own eyes" (Judges 21:25). The Jewish nation was fragmented, much like a team of individuals going after their own goals without any sense of togetherness.
But Psalm 133 symbolizes a time of unity, a period when the tribes of Israel were brought together under King David’s rule. It’s a song about what happens when people are aligned, marching toward a shared purpose. The image of oil poured on Aaron’s head, flowing down his beard and onto his robe, is a symbol of abundance and blessing. In the same way, when you experience unity with others—whether it’s with your team, your community, or your family—there is a sense of overflowing richness, of having more than enough.
This Psalm offers both a theological and practical reflection on the blessings that come with unity. Just like the songs we sang in the van, or the shared experiences on our trip to South Carolina, God’s people would sing this song together, recognizing the power of living and moving in harmony toward the same destination.
What could life look like if we all chose to live in unity with those around us? If you've ever been part of a successful team or community, you know. It’s some of the fondest memories we carry with us—those moments when we weren’t just individuals, but a unified group, moving in the same direction, celebrating the journey together.
As a coach, I’ve been blessed to witness the magic that happens when a collection of nomads become one. When they put aside their individual pursuits for the sake of something greater, something shared. Much like the Israelites traveling to Jerusalem, life is truly good and pleasant when done together.