Sarawak State Library

Running to Glory: An Unlikely Team, a Challenging Season, and Chasing the American Dream

Call no.: : 796.420979755 McM
Author: : Sam McManis
Contributor: : Nur Farhan Bin Aini
Summary: Running to Glory follows the Eisenhower High cross country team, a group of resilient, low-income runners from Yakima, Washington, striving for the state championship. Despite limited resources and family challenges, they compete against wealthier schools in Seattle-Tacoma, where financial support and parent involvement are high. Their coach, Phil English, brings empathy and inspiration, having risen from poverty in rural Ireland to a college track scholarship in the U.S. Over his 37-year coaching career, he’s won 11 state titles and helped over 100 students secure college scholarships, making the team’s journey a testament to perseverance and the American Dream.