MESSERS DOUBLE THREAT FOR OWLS

By Rebecca Everett

For John and Andy Messer, running track started out as just a way to stay in shape for soccer try-outs in the fall. When the twins failed to make the soccer team in their sophomore year at Westfield High School, they joined the cross country team instead. Seven years later, the Messer twins are the star runners of Westfield State College's track and field and cross country teams, and have been recognized across New England.

The Westfield natives have been All-Conference multiple times in the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC) for both track and cross country. In addition, Andy Messer received All New England honors this fall by finishing in the top 35 at the NCAA Division III New England regional cross country championships, an honor that his brother John just missed, finishing 36th.

"All New England is a great achievement," John Messer said, "but I found that we were more excited to win MASCACs as a team because we were all able to be part of the big win. That's what brought us closer together as a team and that's what I see as being most important." Westfield State's men's cross country team won the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference this past fall for the second year in a row.

"They're both fantastic individuals to work with," Westfield State cross country head coach Robert Rausch said of the Messers. "They're wonderful runners, and probably more important, wonderful human beings."

The brothers were co-captains of the cross country team, a responsibility that Rausch said they handled very well. "They're very personable and well-liked by everyone," Rausch said. "They're team-oriented."

"Being a captain took a lot of work," Andy Messer said. "I realized that after being a captain sophomore year and then losing that position my junior year. Senior year I knew I had to be more mature and show more discipline and leadership."

John Messer said of their leadership: "We kind of follow the quote by Confucius ‘A superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions." Rausch said, "they're quiet but set a good example."

Contrary to the quiet image of the captains is the unconventional pre-race ritual that they devised this season. When asked about funny stories or rituals, John Messer said. "The best one from this year would be our cheer which my brother thought of. He used the Beastie Boys song "Time to Get Ill."

"Before each race we formed a circle and Andy shouted ‘What's the time?' and we all shouted back ‘It's time to get ill!'" John remembered.

John and Andy Messer have a unique relationship as twins and teammates, Rausch said. "They're competitive with each other," Rausch said. "but are always willing to let the other win. There are never any hard feelings."

The twins agreed. "Having my brother as a teammate is awesome," John Messer said. "We both push each other to do better, not just in races but in practice as well."

Andy agreed that the two challenge and support each other. Of his winning the team's Outstanding Contributor Award two years in a row, he said "I have to say my brother pushed me all the way into achieving it."\

"We consider ourselves both a team and family, no matter what," John Messer said.

John Messer is a senior geography and regional planning major, while Andy is a senior business major. "Our plans for the future are somewhat unclear right now," John Messer said. "But we intend on taking an extra semester here at Westfield State."

As for running, John Messer said, "we both plan on running the Boston Marathon in the near future, so our running will continue."

Andy Messer said his future plans for running include continuing to run local long distance races and "eventually do some unique cross country races that take place around the nation."

The brothers agreed that what they love about running is the personal challenge and seeing their hard work pay off. "It taught us discipline and gave us a certain satisfaction of our hard work," John Messer said. "Our training routines can be very tough at times, but in both track and cross country it takes a lot of patience and discipline to see results."

Andy Messer said that his personal view of running is that a runner should hold nothing back. "Leave nothing out there when you run. You should always have nothing left when you finish that race."