BREMEN, Ala. — Cold Springs senior Sage Nelson collected his diploma in May, and in this interview, he shared some of his favorite memories from competing in cross country and track alongside his teammates and friends.
“Some of my favorite memories were definitely every moment with my friends, but one of my favorites was at cross-country camp. We had two separate cabins for a group of boys, and we would sneak into the other one and mess with their stuff, and the next day, they would do the same thing to our cabin,” Nelson said. “Being around some great teammates and friends was very motivational. Being around them taught me what it meant to be a leader and a brother. It meant a lot to me to be around some great coaches during my career. They all helped me with the opportunity to be a better athlete and helped me through my recruiting process. The reason I’ve been accepted to a college I’m going to be going into is because of them. They taught me how to pace myself for my runs, how to be committed to my goals, and to always stay optimistic with my head held high, no matter the circumstances.”
Sage talked about some of his favorite accolades that he earned during his years with the Eagles and he will deeply miss running at Cold Springs in August.
“My favorite medals that we won was the 4×800 ones. I was never a fan of the 800, but my team made that event so worth running every time. I enjoyed every moment of the 4×800 with them,” Nelson said. “I’ll definitely miss the team and friends I’ll unfortunately be leaving behind. Without them, my experience with running and Cold Springs as a whole would have never been the same. I’m extremely grateful to have met and have become friends with each and every one of them.”
He talked about his favorite high school memories that he made at Cold Springs.
“My favorite high school memories were all the conversations at our lunch table. I don’t think a single day went by where I wasn’t happy to be heading there for the day. It always lifted my mood being around all my friends just talking and enjoying the moment,” Nelson said. “It was a really small school full of great people. It wasn’t hard to end up knowing everyone there, and I think that was something special, because you don’t really get the chance to know almost everyone at your school. I was thankful to have known so many great people. It made life at school more interesting and alive.”
Sage will definitely miss being an Eagle this upcoming year. In addition to sports, he enjoyed participating in the 1936 Club as well.
“I’ll definitely remember and miss the teachers. They were always happy to see us and made life at school entertaining and fun. Most of the time, it just felt like we were all just one big family that were in a classroom together,” he said. “The point of the 1936 Club was to pretty much give to the local community. We were helping for charity, and hosting holidays for the community. I always enjoyed the stuff we did in that club. It was nice to see the whole community gathering together and helping each other. I learned how to put others before myself, and that it doesn’t hurt to go spend some of your time helping someone, even if there isn’t much you get in return.”
Sage earned and accepted an academic and athletic scholarship to go to Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida after enjoying his visit there. He also gave some advice to the students that will be starting high school in August.
“It was great. I grew up on the beach, so being close to it again is a major plus. Southeastern’s campus and their connection with God was amazing to see, and I’m beyond stoked to be there. My future team were very welcoming and great people to be around, and I look forward to be running with them soon,” he said. “Always stay motivated. There’s going to be times where things get hard, but endure the struggles, and keep going until you’ve reached your goals, no matter what.”
God has played a huge role in helping Sage get to this point in his life, and he shared one of his favorite Bible verses.
“He’s been there for me my whole life through every fall and every victory. I’ve always been able to rely on Him for everything, especially with my running career. He’s been with me through it all and has always showed me how to stay strong during my practices and races. I knew that with the talent He has gracefully given to me, I had to continue my journey of running into college,” he said. “My favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:18. I’ve always loved this verse, because it lets me know that there are going to be tough times, but at the end of the road, it will be worth it.”
Sage wants to be a role model to younger kids in and outside of sports and wants people to remember him as a kind person that looked to help others.
“It means everything to me. I care so much about others that it honestly pains me to see someone hurt or upset. That’s why I’ve always cared for those who I felt like needed to hear what they deserve to hear, because everyone matters, and no one should have to feel down. I hope that I was able to make an impact on them,” he said. “I would want nothing more than to be remembered as someone that people could always rely on with what they’re going through.”
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