Balancing a schedule with a job, family and sports takes dedication. The instructors here at Clackamas Community College are involved in many different sports whether it is running an ultra marathon race or playing Ultimate Frisbee.

Staff members participate in these various sports for different reasons. Some play for serious competition and others for simple pleasure. Most of them found the love of their sport at a young age, during high school or college, lasting to this day.

English instructor David Mount started out backpacking and now does ultra running. He runs marathon distances on mountain trails and takes the running competitions seriously. He loves running so much that he is always looking for a time to go.

“It forces you to face your fears and face parts of yourself and problem solve, because there’s always blissful parts and there’s always miserable parts,” said Mount.

Jeffrey McAlpine, an English instructor, is into running. He grew up watching his father run and now he does it for fun. He also likes to take his family backpacking to enjoy the outdoors.

“It’s enjoyable, and sometimes painful, but you feel really good in the end,” said McAlpine. “It’s this amazing sense of accomplishment, that I actually went 100 miles on my own power and it feels really good.”

There are women instructors that take their sport seriously. Nora Brodnicki, an art instructor, plays Ultimate Frisbee. Currently, she coaches her daughter’s soccer and Ultimate Frisbee teams. She plays depending on the season and when she has time. She exercises all the time and she runs half marathons for fun.

“I am competitive,” said Brodnicki, “but Ultimate Frisbee has something very special about it. It’s called the spirit of the game, and for the most part Ultimate Frisbee is self-officiated.”

Each of these instructors has had their biggest accomplishment moment. For Mount it’s running his very first a 50-mile race, for McAlpine it was running a 100-mile race and for Brodnicki it was winning second place in finals at USA Ultimate National.

These different sports have become a part of their lives, they love talking about it because it’s something that they are proud of. When one starts a sport, they face many challenges that need to be overcome but it’s worth it in the end. It’s all about the fun, competition and just enjoying it.

David Mount

David Mount

Nora Brodnicki

Jeffrey McAlpine