Stories And Inspiration

It started out as something to do with his friends: go to a running club each week, train for a race that he’d run with them and his mom. It was after school so the timing fit. Sports have never been a big deal for Matt Steelman. The current Davie County sixth grader found, though, that he’d just never tried the right one.

With GO FAR he’s found confidence and a challenge through running.

He joined GO FAR in his fifth-grade year at Shady Grove Elementary. It was well promoted. The coaches were fantastic, according to Matt’s mom, Dawn Steelman.

Though she had never run before, she joined GO FAR with her son and went to the practices too. At the 5K she placed second in the over 50 age group. Having never raced before, it was a big thrill to cross the finish line. “It’s a great feeling afterward,” she said. “You could lift a building up.”

GO FAR promotes positive character traits and a healthy lifestyle to participants, but it gave Matt something more. It boosted his confidence. “After running in the Turkey Derby with GO FAR, I had a good experience with the race and decided to continue,” Matt said.

GO FAR helped Matt find his sport. “It helped him realize his passion for running,” said Susan Dorsett, president of Davie County GO FAR. Matt placed second in his age group in that Hillsdale Sunrise Rotary Turkey Derby 5K that the group ran in his second GO FAR season.

“He saw what he did in the first race,” Dawn said. “He saw that he could excel at that sport and the next time he wanted to do better.”

Matt continues to participate in local races. He hopes to try out for track in seventh grade. This spring he will compete in the Shamrock 5K in Mocksville with the Davie County GO FAR team. The team has been training since early January for the race, despite the real winter the area has been having.

“The weather hasn’t really affected me at all,” Matt said. “I dedicate myself by just wanting to tackle the weather conditions.”

To his mom, his dedication shows. “He’s found something that he really loves. GO FAR has been a good platform for him,” Dawn said. “It has inspired a fire within him.”