08/12/02 by Jim Mullins
Well it is that time of year that the racing calendar is starting to get thin again. My legs and more importantly my lungs are thankful for that. As I look back on the season that Team Summit has had...I am thankful for many things. The team managed to stay relatively healthy and pain free (with the exception of Bryan Huntley who has been fighting a nagging knee problem all season, we missed you at the races). We began to gel as a team. At the start of the season as we sat in our first team meeting (many of us meeting each other for the first time) we began to lay the ground work for what was soon to become an exciting season. The whole concept of Team was new to many of the guys on the Team. Sure most of us had raced before but never really focusing on the concept of working for and with each other to be able to achieve something greater than one can achieve by themselves. We decided early on that we will win and lose together. Winnings were evenly split amongst the Team Summit guys that attended the races. How did the Team do? The early season races were still mostly 5 guys racing a race in the same jersey but not really sure what the team thing was all about or more importantly how to execute. The season and team progressed with the Team taking the Third Overall Team (B series) at the Tour of West Deer. That happened despite the Team missing the first of the four races. The Team also had it's first taste of victory as I was lucky enough to have won one of the races thanks to a lot of help from Angelo, Denis and Ted. The Team continued to grow and just this past week we had our second taste of victory with Denis Osowski pulling off an unbelievable move late in the race in the Marysville stage of the Tour of Ohio. We also had strong performances by several other guys (Gilmore, Catalano, and Adams) in the races. We had two stages with three guys finishing in the top 20. Not bad for a first year Team.
Looking back also leaves me and the rest of the Team thankful for the opportunity to have raced in Team Summit and Summit Freewheelers colors. The club has provided us with a tremendous amount of support (some entry fees, hotel stays, helmets and uniform reimbursement). Our sponsors have also been a great help this year and deserve a special thanks!!! Hopefully, the amount of positive PR for them will be enough to continue the relationships that we have formed. The Team helmets that Marty's helped with look awesome and couple that with the decal help from Allied Decals and we had a very professional look this year. Please remember to present a positive image when wearing your Summit Freewheelers jersey because you are not only representing the club but also the sponsors.
I guess the bottom line is this...it has been a great season that has been a lot of fun and I am looking forward to racing in Team Summit clothing again next year. I am also looking forward to the opportunity that we (the Team) have to help develop some new talent. We have many riders in the club with a tremendous amount of potential and together we can help to realize that potential. Don't be afraid to ask (Team Summit guys) for advice or help. Part of why we are here and getting support from the club is to develop new riders and racers. Take advantage of the experiences we have gained this year and the past years.