Stepping Into A Great Season
Holly Ratcliff
The Hudson Cross Country team starts their season off strong, looking forward to a great season with fast times, good friends, and big goals.
“It’s a full season,” senior varsity runner Emma Godfrey said. “Every weekend we’re racing somewhere and just working hard towards regionals and state. I’m really looking forward to it, and I know our team is capable of it.”
Both the girl’s and boy’s teams are looking forward to a great, fast season.
“We have a really good team,” boys’ Coach Josh Stewart said. “We have a group of six guys that are returning, and they are in very good shape and ready for a really good season.”
Seven people race on varsity, the top five runners’ places are added together, and the team with the least points wins. The sixth and seventh runners on each team are counted in the event of a tie.
“We have nine different girls who are competing for a spot on varsity, so I feel like the times are going to be fast every week,” girls’ Coach Amy Stewart said.
More than just fast times though, runners feel that cross country is also about being part of a team.
“I have to say that being part of a team, and the bonding that I have with so many members of my team and my coaches, really just adds up to a great season,” senior varsity runner Tara Bentley said.
The relationships developed on a team are important not just as a fun experience, but in a way that improves each team member as an athlete.
“I think being part of a team is one of the best experiences, best life experiences, you can have.” Godfrey said. “I think you learn to push yourself as part of a team in ways you didn’t know you could as an individual.”
So how is running as an individual really a team sport?
“You’re here to motivate your team,” senior varsity runner Teedran Roberts said.
Hopefully this determined motivation will help the cross country teams fulfill their goals.
“My goal for the season is a very reachable goal, but at the same time it’s going to be
difficult,” Coach A. Stewart said. “These girls can definitely win the regionals meet, and, if everyone runs their best, we can have the best ever state finish in our history as one of the top three teams.”
The boys feel the similarly in their goals for this season.
“Last year we got second place at state, so I’m really looking forward to getting first place this year,” senior varsity runner Jesus Ramos said.
Coach J. Stewart echoes his runners hopes, but adds that “to train hard, no one get injured, and run the best we can at every meet” are also part of his goals.
While Austin is never far from any runner’s mind, they are determined to enjoy this season as a team while improving their times each week.
“I’m not just excited for the end of the season, I’m excited for the whole season,” Coach A. Stewart said.
The teams look forward to the relationships being built and the races yet to come.
“Encouraging each other,” Godfrey said, “I always look forward to that every year. It’s just really fun to watch everybody get better together, and it’s a really cool thing.”
Roberts said that “to have that motivation at heart” is what makes a team great.
Even in a sport that seems individual, a great team atmosphere can develop, and that is what happened with the Hudson cross country team.
“In a way you’re running by yourself,” Ramos said, “But at the end of the day everybody is together.”
Below is a link to the cross country schedule.
http://girls.explorerscrosscountry.com/schedule/
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
