Edward Little’s Tudum Monday, center, leads the second heat of the 110-meter hurdles on his way to victory at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Large School meet on May 27 at Messalonskee High School in Oakland. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

When Tudum Monday ran a personal record time and finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles at the New England championship meet last month, word quickly made its way to his Edward Little teammates.

The junior’s phone was flooded during the ride home from the meet with text messages like, “Way to go, Tudum,” “Thank you, Tudum,” and, “That’s my teammate.”

At the New England championships, in New Britain, Connecticut, Monday ran the 110 hurdles in 14.82 seconds, beating his previous best. He also finished fifth in the 300 hurdles.

Monday said he cried for 10 minutes as he reflected on his junior year of outdoor track and field that included KVAC titles in the 110 and 300 hurdles, the long jump and the high jump, and then, at the Class A state meet, three runner-up finishes, in the two hurdles and the long jump, and a third-place showing in high jump.

For his standout spring, Monday has been selected as the Sun Journal’s All-Region Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year. 

“I remember I was in the car driving home and I balled my eyes out,” Monday said. “It hit me so much how much I affected people. I thanked them so much. Them looking up to me, I was like, ‘Wow, I’ve been shown so much love from people at school.’ My teammates, teachers, family. I am glad and grateful to be a role model. It hit me on the spot and I was crying for 10 minutes straight.”

Monday took on a leadership role this spring after a couple of conversations early in the season with Edward Little head coach Rebecca Hefty. He admits that he wasn’t sure how well he’d do in that sort of role. 

Edward Little’s Tudum Monday, right, leads Leavitt’s Noah Gibbs in the 110-meter hurdles during an April track meet at Maranacook Community School in Readfield. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“I remember Hefty pulled me to the side and she said, ‘You know you’re a role model to all these kids,’” Monday said. “In the back of my mind I was like, ‘Am I, really?’ I look back and see everyone else looking at me, and now I’m leading warm-ups and I am in the huddle saying, ‘One, two, three Eddies!’ The underclassmen are asking me things. They’d come up to me constantly asking for help, and I would say, ‘OK, I got you.’ I am an open-minded person and I’d never be mean to someone who doesn’t know something, because I was in the same spot. Hefty said they know what I’ve done and, ‘They want to be like you.’”

‘HUGE TEAM PLAYER’

Hefty said that Monday is always open to learning and is never overwhelmed, even while vying for first place in four individual events.

“Tudum is very motivated to reach his goals,” Hefty said. “He is very coachable and dedicated to the sport. He has a very busy schedule at every track meet and manages his events with class. Tudum is a huge team player and leads by example. Overall, he is a humble athlete, but competitive and strives to be the best always.”

Perhaps the best example of Monday thriving with a busy schedule was at the KVAC Large School championships at Messalonskee High School.

He started the meet with a win in the 110-hurdles with a then-PR time of 14.93 — his first time breaking 15 seconds. 

After that, Monday went and won the long jump (20 feet, 11 inches). Later, he broke 40 seconds for the first time in the 300 hurdles (39.83). Using the adrenaline from his third win of the day, Monday cleared 6 feet to win the high jump, an event he started this year at the suggestion of Hefty.

“I did the 300 hurdles and I said, ‘Wow, this could be a perfect meet and I could really help my team,’” Monday said. “We wanted first and the points could really help us get first. I got 6 feet, and I was like, ‘OK, today is a good day.’ After that I was the biggest supporter of the whole squad. It was a highlight of the year.”

Monday’s high jump performance at the conference meet is an example of his willingness to embrace new challenges, and his determination to succeed and to help the team.

“I looked at events and wanted to take him out of the triple and try the high jump,” Hefty said. “Which in the end was a win-win. He was the KVAC champion in the high jump and jumped 6 feet. He is always willing to try any event.”

Monday’s switch to the high jump also earned the Red Eddies some important points — he tallied 40 of their 107 points — and helped them finish third in the conference.

Monday didn’t question or complain about learning a new event. He worked hard for his success in high jump and for his continued success in the other three events. Just as Hefty said, the other Edward Little athletes took notice — that’s their teammate, working hard.

“Hefty is like, ‘You have got to lead this team,’” Monday said. “That was real of Hefty to tell me that. After that, after meets and getting closer to teammates, I was like, ‘Hefty is right. I have a role on this team, and I have to make sure I straighten up and that whatever I do, I have to make sure that if they’re looking they say that if Tudum is working hard.’ I won’t slack.”