By Daniel Makarewicz, danmak@qconline.com

More photos from this shoot

Photo: Paul Colletti The Riverdale High School track team is just like family for Lauren, Eric, Kevin and Emily Claus. Emily and Eric are siblings and all four are second cousins - each participating in different events for the Rams.

PORT BYRON -- The conversation starts with some humor, asking Riverdale runners Emily and Lauren Claus if they are related to Santa.

Neither are amused.

"We get that a lot," Emily says.

With that out of the way, the focus shifts to what makes the last name more unique than sharing it with the holiday character. Four members of the Riverdale boys' and girls' track team are a Claus, with three families represented. Talking about that gets this group animated.

"It's really cool," Emily, a junior, says. "We're related. We're kind of the 'Four Amigos.'"

Considering the number of people named Claus near Port Byron and the surrounding area, this really is not surprising.

"When we have a family reunion, there's over 100 people who show up," said James Claus, whose son, Kevin, is a Riverdale junior distance runner. "If they're named Claus in the Quad-Cities, we're related."

So it comes as no shock Emily, Lauren, Kevin and freshman hurdler Eric Claus not only are related, but also teammates. Around these parts, Claus is more than a holiday name -- it's a large group.

"It's pretty cool," Lauren, a sophomore, said. "Not a lot of people have families like this."

For the record, Emily and Eric are the lone siblings. Kevin and Lauren -- along with Emily and Eric -- are all second cousins as each of their respective fathers are first cousins.

Before the quartet all made it to high school, there was not much a relationship between them other than the last name. Emily and Eric obviously were close, but it took track for them to construct a bond that all agree is getting stronger by the day.

Track is a sport that offers stories such as this one. A few years ago, the Monmouth-Roseville girls' track team had three-fourths of a 4x400-meter relay named Gillen. During Alleman's Sailer Invitational last week, Annawan-Wethersfield's title-winning 4x200 relay had three legs run by a Thomson.

This group, however, offers a compelling twist with three families represented.

"It shows how many different varieites of Clauses there are in a small town," Kevin said. "The one thing we share is the last name."

Because of that, there is a support system within the team.

"You'll always know that you'll have family in school besides family at home," Eric said. "You'll always have each other."

Sometimes, it offers some light-hearted moments.

"Every time we get ready for a race, I'll say, 'Good luck, Cuz,'" Lauren said. "We always say that."

After the race provides laughter on some occasions.

"Sometimes it gets confusing because they don't specify which Claus (finished in their respective event). Sometimes they get them mixed up," Emily said. "One time, I ran something and they said Lauren's name."

When four members of a team share the same last name, that stuff tends to happen.

"It gets kind of confusing when someone says, 'Hey, Claus' and you turn your head and they meant the other one," Eric said. "It's also the same way in school."

They will accept the those moments knowing what this experience means.

"This brings us together more," Lauren said.

Above everything, that's what makes this experience something each cherish. They may get the Santa Claus jokes from time to time, but dealing with that is easier when a practice or meet rolls around.

During that time is when being a Claus has its benefits.

"We didn't know each other before," Eric said. "To change that through something like track, that adds another closeness that you didn't have before."




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