Eagle runner joins T-Birds fraternity

EDUARDO MIRANDA   NEWS-SUN 

December 13, 2018

 Hobbs runner Patrick Colborn signed his letter of intent Wednesday night, to join New Mexico Junior College next year. Colborn is the second local runner to join the Thunderbirds men cross-country and track and field program.

Hobbs cross-country runner Patrick Colborn signed a letter of intent to join the newly formed New Mexico Junior College men's cross-country and track and field program.

When asked why he decided to join NMJC, Colborn said with a smile, "Well first of all full ride, it sounds nice."

"They have a pretty amazing girls program and they have a well proven coach," the Eagle senior added.

"I only hear great things about their academics, and their whole school system. So it's really appealing and it's close to home." Colborn is the second local runner from Hobbs to sign a letter of intent with NMJC, who is "really excited" in being able to accomplish the same success the women's program has with the men.

"Its exciting. They have some really good recruits they are looking at," Colborn said on being the second local runner to sign with NMJC. "And I really feel as soon as we get a full team we will be contending from the start."

The Eagle senior looks forward not only to helping get the program going, but to also being someone others can look up too.

"Its good knowing that I can be an example, a role model, an inspiration, or anything," Colborn said on feeling a little pressure on being one of the faces to the men's program.

That he gets to run in front of his friends and family was a big plus.

"Its comforting, it gives me something I can always lean back on," Colborn said. New Mexico Junior College cross-country coach Jeff Becker called the experience of getting two local runners great. "When they brought the idea of starting the program to us, Patrick was the one who immediately came to my mind," Becker said. "To be able to get him signed and to be part of our program here is going to be outstanding."

With the signings the men's program has already brought in, Becker believes the team will be able to compete for a national title from the get go.

Becker admitted that he is excited for August and the first official meet. Colborn echoed the same sentiment as he is excited for his first meet.

 Hobbs cross-country coach Bob Jackson echoed Becker in believeing the Thunderbirds men's program will be highly competitive from the beginning.

"I think they will be highly, highly competitive next year," Jackson said."And a lot of it has to do with kids that are from here."

Colborn plans on getting his general education finished so he can transfer to a university and study real estate and business. He plans to continue running and sees it as a way to transfer to a four-year college or university.

"I want to win national with the guys. I want to get a ring or two," said Colborn on what he wants to accomplish in his career as a Thunderbird.