MR. BLASTER

student-athletes for their all their hard work and dedication.

“You made tremendous sacri ces — training through injuries, birthdays, vacations and even a pandemic,” she told the crowd of student-athletes. “ … You make the people around you better in every way. You are leaders; you are role models; and of course, you are champions.”

In December, the Orediggers won by the largest margin in Division II championship race history, beating runner-up Wingate by 134 points. e Mines cross country team also had its rst-ever individual national champion, as redshirt junior Dillon Powell took rst place in 29:28, Coach Chris Siemers said.

While the Orediggers also won national titles in 2015 and 2019, Siemers said this was the rst time all seven Mines runners nished in the top 40 and earned All-American honors.

Celebrating those victories at the White House was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Orediggers, Siemers continued.

It was especially memorable for seniors Luke Julian, Steven Goldy and recent rainy trend has made that tricky.

Depending on the age group, teams were wrapping up their regular seasons June 12-14, with playo s starting the week of June 19.

Twelve-year-old Owen Nelson was excited to kick o the playo s June 19, saying he felt good about his 12U team’s — nicknamed the Golden Demons — chances.

Owen Nelson has played in the GJBA for four years, mostly with the same teammates. He’s enjoyed seeing how everyone’s gotten better over the years, saying he’s made friends with other players and coaches.

Chris Cathcart, who got to end their college athletic careers on the White House’s South Lawn. Powell also might not return next year but had the honor of representing his team on the College Athlete Day stage and shaking Harris’ hand.

Siemers was happy his departing athletes had such a unique experience to close out their time at Mines.

Most of the Orediggers hadn’t been to Washington D.C. before, and Siemers was thankful the group had some downtime to explore and sightsee. He said how everyone knew they had to make the most of their unique opportunity.

At the ceremony, the student-athletes wore matching Mines sweater vests with bowties, and Siemers said they got questions and positive comments from people asking what university they were representing.

“We felt a lot of pride being there, understanding that it took a lot of hard work to get that invite,” he continued.

He thanked the administrators and everyone who made the trip possible through their funding and support, saying he and the Orediggers will never forget it.

Hard to believe, but Mines is only two months away from kicking o practice for the 2023 cross country season.

Siemers said the Orediggers have a

“It feels like one big team,” he said of the league.

Baseball’s his favorite sport, he continued, describing how it helps with athleticism and hand-eye coordination.

Owen Seymour and Sam Bailess, 10 and 11 respectively, play on the 11U Golden Taters.

During their ve years playing baseball, the two said they and their teammates have learned all the sport’s physical fundamentals — hitting, throwing and pitching. But they’ve also learned key emotional lessons, like not getting down on themselves after a bad play.

Bailess, Sam’s dad and the Taters’ target on their backs now, and they’re losing a lot of speed up front.

For now, he wanted his athletes to focus on resting and enjoying their well-earned downtime before the 2023 season begins.

While the schedule hasn’t been coach, commended GJBA for giving children an opportunity to learn those things. He said that’s part of his job as a volunteer coach — emphasizing having a good attitude and not letting the last play distract from the next one.

Jason McCullough, an assistant for Coach Jason Jumonville’s 12U Golden Demons, and his family have been active in several baseball leagues over the years, and there’s something unique about GJBA’s culture that he appreciates.

“It’s not about the wins and losses, but experience and attitude,” McCullough said.

He believed that mentality was paying dividends for GJBA speci cally and the Golden community’s baseball culture in general.

Russ Bailess added how the league creates a sense of community, even among the players who don’t live in Golden. at was GJBA President Mike Griffeth’s hope too. He said it wouldn’t be possible without the support of several community partners and dozens of parents donating their time and resources to ensure the players learn the most fundamental lesson of all: “Always try your best.”

For More Information

The Golden Junior Baseball Association also hosts a fall league, which starts in August. To sign up or for more information on the league in general, visit gjba.net.

nalized, Siemers expected Mines’ rst meet to be Sept. 16 at Denver’s Washington Park. e NCAA Division II National Championship race will be Nov. 18 in Joplin, Missouri.

For more information on Mines cross country, visit MinesAthletics.com.