Joined at the rope: Fourth-grade guide runner steps up to help West Fork freshman
WEST FORK Ark. (BVM) — People often do good deeds in life. But Rebel Hays takes it a step further as a guide runner for his friend Paul Scott.
Hays became interested in guide running after seeing his cousin Grace guiding one of Scott’s sisters. He asked Grace about it, and he was immediately hooked.
“The next year, Paul started running, and the coach sent out a request for guide runners, and Rebel immediately asked me and Grace if we would ask Coach if he could do it,” Rebel’s mother Louann Hays said. “He knew he was fast enough to run, he just wasn’t sure what to do, but he said Grace could teach him.”
Rebel was in second grade and Scott was in seventh when they started to run together. Both ran two-mile races, but the pair quickly made the transition to 5K competitions.
Fast forward two years and Rebel and Scott are still running together. Inseparable on the course, Rebel and Paul have formed a meaningful friendship.
“I know they for sure have a friendship that is real,” Louann said. “Whenever they do see each other, they pick right back up where they left off. It’s not awkward or anything.”
“I would like to see Paul more often,” Rebel said, “but because we don’t go to the same school and are not in the same grade, it’s hard.”
That doesn’t stop Rebel from training and doing the best he can to help Paul in races. Just last year, Rebel was named “Fastest Kid in Fayetteville” for his age group. As a standout athlete who is only in fourth grade, this year has provided many challenges. But Rebel continues to push on for Scott.
“It’s been fun because I get to run in all the races with the athletes, and I like trying to get Paul to run faster,” Rebel said. “The only time it’s really hard is if Paul slows down and I know he can go faster, so I try to pull him, and that hurts my arm. Paul’s fast, but I think he gets nervous.”
Although Scott’s cross country season has ended, Rebel is still running at the USA Track & Field Junior Olympics. He recently competed at the USATF on Dec. 12.
With Rebel’s focus right now being cross country and helping Scott run, he wants to participate in more activities when he grows up.
“I want to run XC, but I also want to play football and wrestle and do a decathlon in track,” Rebel said. “I would play soccer, but I think this is my last year to do soccer. I might do it in high school if I can. I really want to be able to play football on Friday nights and then go run on Saturday. I know I can do it.”
They aren’t lofty goals for someone who has remained active in sports. He still has a long way to go, but he does look up to some for encouragement.
“I like all different athletes, but I really like older kids who talk to me,” Rebel said. “Even my mom’s cross-country team cheers me on at the fun run races, and Wallace Spearmon gave me a coaching lesson once, and he was really good. My new coach, [Coach] James, won national titles at Arkansas when he ran, and he tells me how to run so that I understand better what to do. I just like them because they will talk to me and not treat me like a little kid.”
Rebel will continue to run with Scott for the foreseeable future. But no matter what sport Rebel is participating in, he and Scott will have a special bond that will last a lifetime.
