The Concordia track team dominated at their home meet last Sat., Mar. 25. But there was a much deeper meaning and importance surrounding this event.

The Team 4 Titus and Ely meet is put on yearly to honor the passing of Coach Danny Bowman’s son, Titus, and to raise awareness about Batten’s disease. Bowman was the head coach of Concordia’s track program for four consecutive years and left a lasting impact on the team. Bowman’s other son, Ely, is currently battling this life-threatening and rare disease as well.

The Team 4 Titus and Ely meet is special to the Concordia track team, and the athletes came together to make our community proud. Jori Paradis, a senior distance runner, set her own personal record in the 1500 meters. “This team has become to mean so much to me and I’ve come to desire to win more for their sake than my own,” Paradis said. Paradis has her goals set high and hopes to make it to Nationals for her last year on the team. 

Juanse Garcia, a junior distance runner, specializes in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and has been running competitively for four years. “What I love about this sport is how raw it is. In order to get results, times at races, you need to put in the work,” said Garcia. Track and field can weigh heavily on an athlete’s mind and body and requires a strong drive and desire to succeed. 

“There aren't really any days off,” said Garcia. 

Head Coach Keegan Bloomfield is proud of his athletes’ performances and honored to celebrate the lives of Bowman’s sons. “The Titus and Ely meet is a special meet for our program. It celebrates the life of former head coach Danny Bowman's sons. It's an opportunity for us to celebrate these boys and their battle with Batten disease. It also provides us with an opportunity to compete at home. The team always performs well on our home track.  We have family, friends, and alumni show up and cheer on.”  

“This year we had parents fly in from multiple countries. As far away as Kazakhstan! The meet really is about competition and family.,” Bloomfield added. 

There were two school records broken, two national qualifying marks, as well as countless personal records at the meet.

“About half our team is brand new faces, transfers and freshmen, which can provide a great opportunity for growth. I'm excited with how we've handled our growth.  We've had student-athletes with top marks in the nation and we can't wait to finish at the National Championships,” said Bloomfield. 

The team is looking forward to continuing to dominate and set more records in the weeks to come. They will be competing this upcoming Fri., March 31 and Sat., April 1 at the Vince O’Boyle Classic in Irvine. 

To learn more about Titus and Ely’s story, visit https://www.facebook.com/Team4TitusEly/about_details. 

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