Touching White Rock Half Story about Houston XC Coach

Running debt repaid
High school coach, team to run in support of Rock's beneficiary
09:13 PM CST on Wednesday, December 7, 2005
By DEBBIE FETTERMAN / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Running didn't come naturally for Amy Gabehart.

When she was 1, Gabehart spent six months in a full body cast to correct a congenital hip disorder.

"My parents and doctors didn't know if I'd be able to walk normal or skip or jump or run," Gabehart said.

Gabehart's hip responded to treatment, helping her avoid surgery. She grew up dancing, cheerleading, playing soccer and running.

Now the Katy Mayde Creek girls cross country coach and team hope to give back to the organization that helped her.

Gabehart, 24, and her team will participate in the half marathon and marathon relay at Sunday's Dallas White Rock Marathon. They are running to support Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, which treated Gabehart when she was a toddler. The hospital, one of the nation's leading pediatric orthopedic centers, treats Texas children free of charge. It is the beneficiary of Sunday's marathon.

"For me, it's kind of this full circle where I've been blessed by a lot of people," Gabehart said. "I'm hoping the blessing is put on someone else. We can give back to people that give to us. It's a double blessing for me."

Gabehart graduated from Baylor in 2004 with a degree in health and physical education. While in graduate school last year, Gabehart approached Baylor coaches Clyde Hart and Todd Harbour about training with the cross country and track teams. She wanted to experience what it would be like to be a college athlete, even though she knew she wouldn't represent Baylor competitively.

Gabehart, who plans to complete her master's degree in the spring, worked out all year with the Baylor teams and continues her running today.

She began coaching in Katy, near Houston, last summer. She introduced herself to the team and told members the story of her childhood physical problems.

Gabehart told her team that running success is more mental than physical.

"If these girls can find something to shoot for, some goal to reach for, they can do anything," she said. "They ache for someone to say, 'You can do it. I know you can do it.' That's all most of us need."

The team placed second in District 19-5A, and every varsity runner posted a personal best.
"Cross county is one of those sports that gets overlooked when football is popular," Gabehart said. "I wanted them to get to see that running is a huge sport. People do this their entire lives."

During the season, Gabehart's team managers noticed a newsletter on her desk from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. She hadn't looked at it yet.

They read an article highlighting the upcoming Dallas White Rock Marathon. The runners brought it to Gabehart's attention.

The team traditionally takes a trip to acknowledge individuals' hard work and celebrate team success. They suggested making Dallas their postseason destination.

With support from the athletes' parents, Gabehart coordinated the trip. Gabehart and two seniors will run the half marathon. Ten others will make up two five-person relay teams.

"It's amazing because they thought she'd never walk, and here she is running eight miles with us every morning," said senior Michelle Gabriel, who plans to run one of the relays. "I've done triathlons and marathons in the past for charity. To benefit a hospital that helped Coach Gabehart is even more personal."

UPDATE: Former Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children patient Amy Gabehart, a Houston-area teacher and coach, completed the half marathon in 1 hour, 48 minutes, 28 seconds. Two Katy Mayde Creek athletes also ran the half. Ten others participated in the five-person relays.