Ammar Moussa

Ammar Moussa
The title of Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own Ammar Moussa during the month of January. He recalled that it was during his Calculus Final that his coach, Coach James O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock as it did to him.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he strived and redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top 5 when he finished at 4th place.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals, Ammar feels that his proudest moment was when his team and he mounted the podium at the 2009 State Meet, reflecting the high value he places in his teammates. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

EDIT 1

Ammar Moussa
The title of Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own Ammar Moussa during the month of January. He recalled that it was during his Calculus Final [capitalized or not?] that his coach, Coach James O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock as it did to him.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he strived and redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top 5 when he finished at 4th place.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals, Ammar feels that his proudest moment was when his team and he mounted the podium at the 2009 State Meet, reflecting the high value he places in his teammates. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him..[delete]

Ammar Moussa
The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own Ammar Moussa during the month of January; this is the first time in history this honor has ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top 5 when he finished at 4th place.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals, Ammar feels that his proudest moment was when his team and he mounted the podium at the 2009 State Meet, reflecting the high value he places in his teammates. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

Ammar Moussa
The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own Ammar Moussa during [replace with 'in'] the month of January; this is the first time in history this honor has ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top 5 [spell out] when he finished at 4th place.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals, Ammar feels that his proudest moment was when his team and he [he and his team..sounds less awkward] mounted the podium at the 2009 State Meet, reflecting the high value he places in his teammates. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

Ammar Moussa
The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own Ammar Moussa in the month of January; this is the first time in history this honor has ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top five when he finished at 4th place.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals, Ammar feels that his proudest moment was when he and his team mounted the podium at the 2009 State Meet, reflecting the high value he places in his teammates. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

EDIT 3

Ammar Moussa
The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own Ammar Moussa in the month of January [replace with 'in January.']; this is the first time in history [delete] this honor has ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top five when he finished at 4th [should it be 'fourth'?] place.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals, Ammar feels that his proudest moment was when he and his team mounted the podium at the 2009 State Meet, reflecting the high value he places in his teammates. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

Ammar Moussa
The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own Ammar Moussa in January; this is the first time this honor has ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top five when he finished at fourth place.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals, Ammar feels that his proudest moment was when he and his team mounted the podium at the 2009 State Meet, reflecting the high value he places in his teammates. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

EDIT 4

Ammar Moussa
The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own Ammar Moussa in January; this is the first time this honor has ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top five when he finished at fourth place.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals, Ammar feels that his proudest moment was when he and his team mounted the podium at the 2009 State Meet, reflecting the high value he places in his teammates. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

GOOOOODJOOOOOB

hey regina! is this copy ont he forum your final? or the one you emailed us?

oh and can you lengthen your article? it's about 2/3 of the way there. thanks!

Okay! The one I emailed you should be the same as the one on the forum. Hang on, I'll try and lengthen it and email you a new one by tonight.

The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own junior Ammar Moussa in January; this is the first time this prestigious honor has ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
Not to mention, Ammar was chosen out of every Cross Country athlete in the state of California as Gatorade Player of the Year, “one of the most prestigious accolades in high school sports” according to the official Gatorade website.
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top five when he finished at fourth place, which he said was higher than he “had ever thought [he] could place.”
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals and many outstanding individual awards, Ammar feels that his proudest moment, hands down, was when he mounted the podium with his team at the 2009 State Meet. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to [do] my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

Still trying to lengthen!

The AHS Boys Cross Country team has established itself as one of the best cross country teams in the state, but moreover, there is one outstanding individual in this group of extremely talented runners who particularly deserves individual recognition for his abilities.
The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own junior Ammar Moussa in January. Never before has this prestigious honor ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself as he won the 2009 State Meet, where he redeemed his past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.
Not to mention, Ammar was chosen out of every Cross Country athlete in the state of California as Gatorade Player of the Year, “one of the most prestigious accolades in high school sports” according to the official Gatorade website.
His amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to Nationals. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top five when he finished at fourth place, which he said was higher than he “had ever thought [he] could place.”
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals and many outstanding individual awards, Ammar feels that his proudest moment, hands down, was when he mounted the podium with his team at the 2009 State Meet. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said, “[We] promised each other we would get on the podium the next year. We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them. In addition, he stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to [do] my best and to not give up.”
As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.

Ammar Moussa
The AHS Boys Cross Country team has established itself as one of the best cross country teams in the entire state. However, there is one outstanding individual in this group of extremely talented runners who particularly deserves individual recognition for his abilities.
The title of California's Boys Cross Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to AHS’s very own junior Ammar Moussa in January. Never before has this prestigious honor ever been bestowed upon an AHS student. He recalled that it was during his Calculus final that his coach, Coach Jim O’Brien, told him—to his complete surprise—the good news.
To those who have witnessed Ammar’s running abilities and the previous and steady stream of recognition he has received, his new title probably does not come as a shock.
Ammar managed to outdo even himself when he won the 2009 State Meet with the remarkable time of 14:29. With this success he and his team redeemed their past performance at the “incredibly disappointing state meet” of 2008. Ammar said, “Crossing the line, I felt relieved and happy that every single mile I had run for a year had finally paid off.”
Not to mention, Ammar was chosen out of every Cross Country athlete in the state of California as Gatorade Player of the Year, “one of the most prestigious accolades in high school sports” according to the official Gatorade website.
Furthermore, his amazing career as a runner exceeded state boundaries when he went to the Nike Cross National. Ammar recalled, “The ‘experts’ had said that I was inexperienced in running against all the big names, and that would hurt me. [Even] so I was really pumped up to be running, and I had a little mental fire going.” Ammar earned his spot in the top five when he finished at fourth place, which he said was higher than he “had ever thought [he] could place.”
As if fourth place at the national level wasn’t incredible enough, Ammar proved it wouldn’t do him justice to settle for second—or fourth—best when he placed first at the USA Track and Field National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships.
Even with such an astounding accomplishment at Nationals and plenty of other outstanding individual awards, Ammar feels that his proudest moment, hands down, was when he mounted the podium with his team at the 2009 State Meet. The year prior, the team members would’ve found themselves on the podium as well if they had placed just one spot higher. Ammar said that after that experience “[they] promised each other [they] would get on the podium the next year.” He recalled, “We talked about it, dreamed about, and worked for it for 365 days. When the day came, and we stood there accepting our medals, it was surreal and I was proud that we had done it.”
In addition to bringing him well-deserved glory and recognition, running has also provided Ammar with “a rock in [his] life.” He also added, “It keeps me from doing stupid things … I don't go party, or do dumb things to my body because I want to do my best as a runner.”
Clearly, running motivates Ammar to take care of his health and himself, but what motivates him to run? Well, Ammar said that first of all, even without any further motivation he has a natural drive to constantly improve, test his limits and then to go beyond them, which surely contributes positively toward his success.
However, there are other factors in his life that motivate him to run as well. He stated, “I also am driven to do my best because I know my teammates are depending on me to [do] my best and to not give up.” As proven by his past performances, if there’s anybody his teammates can depend on, it’s him.
During an interview with LA Times, Coach O’Brien described Ammar as “a once-in-a-lifetime athlete who will one day be competing at the Olympics.”