What's an MVP?

The 2017 NYSSRA Club Championship Series wrapped this past weekend.  After a full season of club racing, once again the pressure was on for the championship relay on Sunday.  At first look it seemed HURT would run away with the points series... however, the clouds of doubt came quickly rolling in before the weekend when it looked like HURT might struggle in a big way to fill the race ranks.

Most of HURT juniors were making final preparations for their week of racing at Junior Nationals and important and reliable sections of the HURT masters men team found the weekend incompatible with...life. The HURT directresses were truly wondering if a HURT victory was in the cards.  And even the talking heads at HRT newsroom were wondering would HURT have an MVP for the weekend? Would someone unexpected glide in to save the day?

It made us all at the news desk ask...what truly is an MVP?

Would team Sweden call Stina Nilsson their MVP? She is currently the most reliable Swedish podium winner and shows up week in and week out of the world cup season.  

Or would the Swedish MVP be "big show" Kalla who shows up at World Championships just to grab the big hardware? hmmmmm.....

It is often not cut and dry.  It is very debatable.  A lot goes into being the most valuable player for a team.  (Unless of course you are Leigh Kentish who was clearly winner of this season’s Intersport De Grandi MVP Award. I mean, he smashed 828 runs which was a mere 72 off Jack Sing’s legendary record for the most runs in a home-and-away season in 1948-49! duh!)  So yeah. yeah.  Not always cut and dry.

In 2017 the MVP for HURT was as special and awesome as Jessie, Kikkan and Sofie in a world championship sprint final. And they looked just as good.  Thanks to Jan and Bernadette and Julie (who came rolling in style) on Sunday morning to race...what was temporarily in doubt was sewn up quickly.  Boom.  TEAM Championship. They may not have raced every weekend, but for sure these ladies were the MVP's all the way! 

Them's some relay socks!!

Obviously great work was done by everyone in HURT nation this season and we would be remiss to not mention the baller performance by young-guns Bryce Beyerbach and Aidan Rowley who rocked to the Men's win on Sunday. But without our ladies in the women's relay and in the mixed relay the door would have been open to let a season of work slip.  

The lesson is...show up to be an MVP. Show up a lot.  Show up a little.  But show up and look good doing it....

P.S. stay tuned in for the new Mt. Borah 2018 HURT Nordic suit and uniform redesign unveiled in April...you'll wanna getcha some for next season.