John Paul II trio will compete as relay in Parris Island Triathlon

Matt Dakolios, John Paul II’s athletic director, entered Saturday’s Parris Island Triathlon with the intent of racing as a normal competitor. Along the way, though, a case of school spirit came over him.

Instead, Dakolios will join forces with two of his Golden Warrior athletes in a relay that may not bring him any medals, but offers a chance to showcase his program a bit while creating a new experience for the athletes.

Sam Villalobos will handle the opening 500-meter swim, with Dakolios doing the 10-mile bicycle segment before handing off to Jalen Mutrie for the finishing 5K. Both athletes are part of the JP2 boys’ soccer team, which Dakolios coaches.

“I just thought it’d be fun to do is as a relay, (representing) the school,” Dakolios said Friday. “Not only are they good athletes, but they’re good kids and I knew they’d have fun with it. Both of them were excited. They didn’t have to think about it very long.”

Dakolios competes in a handful of triathlons each year, including the Ironman Louisville last October. He said not only is it rare to see teenagers compete — many gravitate to to the sport in their 20s and 30s — but the relay concept is different.

Though he’ll run across the occasional relay entry, he’d never seen a trio race together for their school.

“It’s kind of neat,” he said. “Being able to cheer your teammates on in a triathlon is definitely new.”

The Parris Island triathlon will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, with more than 300 entries representing 11 states. It’s the first stop in the South Carolina Triathlon Series, an 18-event series divided into the state’s three regions. Parris Island is one of five Coastal Region events, along with races in Charleston and Myrtle Beach.

This story was originally published March 18, 2016 at 7:04 PM with the headline "John Paul II trio will compete as relay in Parris Island Triathlon."