This season, Paul Scott, a freshman at West Fork, and Rebel Hays, a fourth-grader at West Fork, have been competing together on the cross-country team. Hays serves as Scott’s guide runner since Scott is blind. Scott adds, “He motivates me to run at a quicker pace.”

His mother adds that he likes to run and assist people, and when West Fork sought volunteers, Scott quickly leaped at the idea. Hays is a student at Holcomb Elementary School in Fayetteville, and his mother says that he loves to help others.

Because Hays is in competition with other high school athletes, he has to practice each and every day.

It would be the same as if I were to cheat on Paul if I didn’t run this distance, “I can’t lie to Paul, therefore regardless of what happens, I have to complete this race at this distance and in this amount of time,” explains Hays.

The pair pulls themselves along on a rope as they compete in cross-country races.

They began out running two-mile races, but have now moved on to five-kilometer competitions, they are working toward the goal of finishing a five-kilometer race in under twenty minutes. I’ll be the first to confess that it’s not easy, but I’m doing it for Paul. Hays responds.

These two should serve not just as a model for ambitious athletes but also for everyone else who is going through anything similar. What an inspiration they are!