Daryl Moss

I have retired from working for a living. And I do all right without. I don't toil all day, I guess it's because I'm not built that way.....some people live for love, and call it all sunshine and gay........but if I can't sunshine without any gray.......I guess I'll just stay out in the rain!!

When the South High Track Team won the State Track title in 1968, that was pretty cool for those underclassmen who were on the team. I was one of them; Along with Art Valenti, Bob Fratto, Andy Reukert, Mike Zirker, and sophomore Steve Apple. The Senior class members were: Joe Fratto, Cordell Thompson, Louis Williams, Terry Carlson, and Randy Brooks , and Cliff Strong.

Our Mentor, Coach Nate Long was a great motivator of raw talent. He had a keen eye for finding young men, and putting together winning combinations. Although we took the "team" title, I was very disappointed in my anchor leg of the medley relay team. We took 2nd place, I got taken in the last 2 yards, getting nipped at the tape by a kid from Bountiful. The combination of Art Valenti, Mike Zirker, Steve Apple, and me........had never been beaten all year long in the event. In fact every time we stepped onto the track we set a new record. Then came the State Track Meet.....on the South High School track, in our own backyard.....and Moss lost it at the tape!! To put it frankly: I WAS PISSED!!! Still; we won the State Track title, but I wasn't satisfied. Coach Long saw it, and used that second place loss, into the motivation for what I would do as a senior in 1969. Nate put it to me: "Moss do you want to be a great athlete, or do you want to be a champion? "I began the following week to 'train for next year'.

That was 51 years ago, and to this day I'm blessed to have had Coach Long and my father, Fenton, keeping me motivated with the eye on the prize! I became a State Champion and broke the 880 Yard Run Record May 18, 1969, at the University of Utah stadium. Winning time: 1:55.8.