Catamount athletics was shaken to its core this past weekend after the news of the tragic and untimely death of one of its own.

      Student athlete James “Jamie” Love, was a junior studying mechanical engineering where he was also a key member of both the varsity Track& Field and Cross Country teams.

     Hailing from Armonk, N.Y., Love was active throughout his high school career, taking part in cross-country, track and lacrosse. He earned three All League titles for cross-country along with two All County sports in the 4×800 relay.

      With his first outings as Catamount, Love represented the green and gold in eight indoor season track meets, placing in the top twenty at the 2011 America East Indoor Track and Field Championships.

     Love’s usual events were the 800-meter and 1500-meter runs, in which his talent continued into his junior year when he was constantly striving to achieve new career high merits at regular season invitational meets as well as national championships for track and field.

      However, Jamie Love was not just a runner. He was not simply a list of stats. He was not represented by the number pinned to his jersey on race day. He was a fierce friend, a witty roommate, and a loving brother and son.

    The determination and passion that Love had was not left on the track or trail following an extra long run. This was a mentality that Jamie brought into every aspect of his life.

   Whether he was looking to better his track times, master that new trick on his snowboard or studying for an upcoming exam, Jamie brought his whole heart into everything that he did. Competitive by spirit, if his performance was anything shy of what he expected for himself, he wouldn’t give up.

   According to words said about Jamie at this week’s memorial service, he possessed a mentality that people should never get discouraged at their failures. That’s life. They don’t weaken you; on the contrary, they make you stronger. Wise beyond his years he knew that if you got what you wanted every time you try, it takes away from the beauty of that moment when you finally achieve it.

   He instilled this outlook on life onto everyone he touched, his teammates, his friends and everyone who crossed his blissful path.

    Aside from his hardworking outlook, Jamie had a compassion for others that could not be matched.

   I want you to stop and think for a second. Imagine yourself walking down the road alone. You see someone struggling beside you, whether they have lost their way or have fallen, would you help them? Jamie would have. He was the kind to stop whatever he was doing to make sure someone else was ok even if he did not know them.

     If you were struggling on your runs, he would push you. If you needed something, he would find a way to get it for you. If you were sad, Jamie would have found a way to make you laugh.

      That kind of personality is not something that you can buy, it comes naturally. You do not come across these kinds of people very often but when you do, you know it, it hits you like this frigid Vermont wind, and takes your breath away.

    For those who may not have known him I urge you take a second to stop and think of Jamie as much more than just a name, more than an a news story headline. Take his words and carry them with you.

   As a student, a classmate, a teammate or a friend, we are all Catamounts. While we are a community that has been broken, we are also a community with room to grow. We are Jamie Love.