Edwin Springstead has played a major role in the history of high school cross country in Colonie.
In his early days at Colonie Central High School, Springstead guided the Garnet Raiders to the 1962 state title and coached Barry Brown, who went on to be a world-class athlete in steeplechase and the marathon.
Since 1966, Springstead has been a fixture with the Shaker boys cross country team, coaching hundreds of athletes toward collegiate careers.
So, it only seemed appropriate that Shaker would honor Springstead for his 50-year career Saturday by renaming its annual invitational after him.
The only person who didn’t like the gesture was Springstead himself.
I’m very appreciative, but it’s not necessary, he said. `It’s not about me ` it’s about the kids.`
`Eddie is just a modest person,` said Shaker girls cross country coach Marbry Gansle, who helped get the invitational renamed after Springstead. `I’ve always looked up to Eddie. This is my 30th season at Shaker, and it’s been a great time working with him.`
A number of Springstead’s kids were at Colonie Town Park for the ceremony and races including his two sons, Ed Jr. and Michael.
`It’s well deserved,` said Ed Jr., who ran for his father from 1975 to 1979. `It’s about time someone showed my father some recognition.`
`We’re very proud of him,` added Michael, who also ran on his father’s team. `My dad’s a class act, and as a father myself, the best compliment I could give is that I hope my son takes after him.`
Colonie girls cross country coach Frank Myers was a member of Springstead’s 1962 state championship team, and he credits his colleague for creating his lifetime love for the sport.
`I had to go out for a fall sport (in high school). Otherwise, I couldn’t play basketball in the winter. That was the (school) rule,` said Myers. `So, I chose cross country.`
Springstead said what keeps him involved in the sport long after he retired as a teacher (1989) is teaching kids how to overcome the mental challenges cross country running provides.
`They’ve got to persevere in this sport,` he said. `The body is telling you to stop, but you can’t stop. The body is telling you to slow down, but you can’t slow down.`
Shaker’s boys team hasn’t slowed down much over Springstead’s career. The Blue Bison are typically among the top Suburban Council teams, and this year is no exception. With several key runners returning including R.J. Sniffen, Chris Manico and Craig Weiss, Shaker has a solid core which will help it contend with the likes of Shenendehowa and Guilderland.
The Blue Bison performed well in the boys varsity race. Shaker placed three runners in the top 10 on its way to a third-place finish in the team standings with 60 points, 11 points behind runner-up Shenendehowa. Queensbury took the title with 46 points.
Sniffen led the Blue Bison with a fourth-place finish in a time of 16:24.55. Manico was next in fifth place with a time of 16:26.20, and Weiss placed sixth with a time of 16:26.75.
Colonie finished fifth in the boys team standings with 138 points. Tyler Stewart led the Garnet Raiders with a 12th-place performance in a time of 16:53.12.
In the girls’ division, Shen placed four runners in the top 15 to take team honors with 50 points. Niskayuna edged Holy Names on a tiebreaker for second place after both teams finished with 97 points. Colonie was fifth with 110 points, and Shaker placed seventh with 154 points.
The top town finisher was Loudonville’s Claire Hardwick. The Holy Names senior placed third with a time of 19:00.83. Katlin Mock led Colonie with an eighth-place finish in a time of 19:44.06, and Shaker’s Emma Risler was 10th with a time of 20:00.02.“