In 2018-19, the Mountain East Conference began its "Dear Sport" initiative where student-athletes in the conference were encouraged to write a letter to their sport. The initiative provides the opportunity for student-athletes to express in their own words the impact that sports has played in shaping them throughout their lives. 

Click here to view all letters posted throughout the year. 

Below is a letter from Damon Akers, a senior cross country runner at Concord.

Dear Cross Country,
To say our relationship has been up and down is an understatement. From avoiding you at all costs in high school, to looking forward to you in college, it’s been a roller coaster.

You remember when Coach McCarty and Coach Sirak (Pulaski County High School coaches) first told me that I should give up football and run cross country? I thought they were insane. I’m pretty positive I chuckled when they suggested it freshman year. I stayed away and kept playing football and just doing track. I mean, what do I look like, a football player in those short shorts? Never, unless I lost a dare.

Then junior year rolled around. I decided to give you a chance while playing football at the same time. You were not happy. You quickly showed me that I have to put in the work if I want to be successful. But I didn’t care, I was more focused on football and getting ready for track season. I ran 3 meets that year, you remember that? Knights Crossing at Cave Spring, Clash of the Titans at Hidden Valley, and Running with the Wolves at Jefferson Forrest. I only finished one of those three. And it was the hardest course, Clash of the Titans. Knights was the flattest, Wolves was the most exciting, but nope, I finished the hardest in terrible conditions. It was rainy, cold, muddy, and I had just played an away game the night before, and I was in football shape. My longest run leading up to that race was 30 minutes, and that was on that Tuesday. I thought I was in good enough shape, LOL. That race was terrible. I almost lost my spikes in the mud, it was rainy, I was tired, I just wanted to stop. But I didn’t, I kept pounding and finished my first cross country in a time that is almost embarrassing to me now, 19:37 for a 5K. There was something about finishing a cross country race that hurt but felt great at the same time. Football was not going good that year, so it felt good to have that little personal victory that day.

Senior year of high school, good gosh what a year! I gave up football that April, in order to become a better runner. I was tired of playing games and wanted to run in college. I couldn’t avoid you anymore. I was all in. You didn’t take it easy on me either. You gave me teammates who specialized in cross country, who constantly kicked my butt in everything we did, except for 400s. You gave me coaches who showed no mercy and pushed me to limits I didn’t know my body could reach. Even with my body in shape like it had never been before, it still was a rough season. I was so dumb that year. Remember when I wouldn’t eat and think I could race? You showed me very quickly I can’t do that. Yet I continued to do so, like a dummy, and you continued to tell me time and time again, “You can’t do that.”

Despite me not being the smartest runner you had seen, you still gave me some personal victories. You remember William Fleming? That course was a disaster, but I still ran my fastest time in high school of 17:34 there. Remember the conference meet at E.C Glass? That course was one of the toughest I have ever run on, but I got all-conference. It was my first year running cross country full time, and I was all-conference in Conference 24. Who would have thought? I'm still upset we got third and missed being second by 9 points.  

College, what a ride it has been these past 4 years. Freshman year, I was wide-eyed kid who had no idea what to expect. I've got to admit, you were a jerk to me that year. I got injured at camp and did not have the best start to my collegiate career. Sophomore year, you and me got along great, until the last regular season meet. You remember --the home meet at Pipestem, me and Roger Foster were in a battle to see who was our team’s number 7 runner. My luck, I sprained my ankle on a root at the 2-mile mark. Little did I know our team would make it nationals that year, and I missed out. It hurt. But it motivated me. It made me want to show you I could handle everything you threw at me and become better.

Going into junior year, I was ready. I put in an awesome summer, did everything right, camp was going great. Man, I was excited. Long run day came, we remember how that turned out. The bone marrow in my right tibia had enough and fractured halfway through the 2 hour run. I missed all of last season, and to be honest, that hurt more than anything. Not being able to run was the most mentally challenging event I’ve had to go through in my career. But to follow the mottof of my favorite NFL team, I kept pounding. I got healthy and once track season ended, I was looking forward to seeing you again.

Senior year, one last rodeo. One last chance to prove to myself, my coaches, my teammates and to you that I could handle you and have success. So far, you and me have been on great terms. A few weeks ago at Lehigh I had the best race of my cross country career, ran 27:51 for 8K. Conference is coming up soon, we have a chance to do something extremely special, 4 championships in a row. I believe we can do it, but we can’t be afraid of the hurt you are going to throw at us on November 3 at Oglebay Resort. I can’t wait.

I know I don’t tell you this enough, but thank you. Thank you for being there when I needed to blow off some steam in the summer and fall when life gets chaotic. Thank you for bringing me teammates that have become brothers and sisters while I’m away from home. Thank you for bringing me a coach in Coach Cox that has become a role model and someone who I aspire to be like every day. Thank you for bringing me to Concord University in Athens, West Virginia, which has done more than become my second home. I got saved here, I’ve made unforgettable memories and connections here, even though some memories I would like to forget. Lastly, thank you for giving a kid from Pulaski, Virginia a chance to do something he truly loves. Through all of the ups and downs of our relationship, I thank you and I love you.

See you Saturday.

Sincerely,
Damon Akers
P.S: Go Mountain Lions