Billy Mills, the first and so far the only American to win the Olympic 10,000 meters, speaks of the four virtues needed to be a Native American Warrior. These virtues are Bravery, Fortitude, Wisdom, and Humility.

Bravery means to give an all out effort in the face of near certain defeat. It means putting your body and self esteem at risk on the chance that something good might happen.

Fortitude refers to the type of courage that permits one to endure tremendous pain with tremendous patience and calm. Fortitude is the essence of cross country racing.

Wisdom is the ability, gained through experience, to set priorities and to pick the right course of action everyday. Our priorities are family first, school second, and team third. This means that for the 15 weeks, preparing for cross country must come before outside jobs, club teams, or a social life that could undermine our hard work.

Humility is the most difficult trait to achieve. According to Indian tradition, a Brave must live a life of bravery, fortitude, and wisdom without ever expecting anything in return. Success or failure are immaterial. A Brave lives an exemplary life simply because it is the right thing to do.

We have been the Council Rock Indians for a long time. Honor the tradition. Live up to Native American Ideals.