Cross Country Team Takes Off!
This past week, staff writer Kiera Thompson asked a series of questions to five members of the varsity cross country team, getting an insight into the lives of the busy student runners.
This past week, staff writer Kiera Thompson asked a series of questions to five members of the varsity cross country team, getting an insight into the lives of the busy student runners.
In correspondence with the athletes, they were asked the following questions:
1. Why did you join cross country?
Grace Donath:
“I joined cross country because my parents wanted me to do it and I ended up liking it because of all the fun I had on the team.”
David Koch:
“Because I have to do something active.”
Katherine McCabe:
“I joined cross country to build cardio and endurance for lacrosse.”
Sam Gilles:
“I joined for endurance for the track season.”
William Tuma:
“I joined the team to get faster.”
- What is your best time?
Grace Donath:
“My best time was 24:56.”
David Koch:
“19 something.”
Katherine McCabe:
“23:16.”
Sam Gilles:
“My best time is N/A…the season isn’t over.”
William Tuma:
“28:34.”
- How many years have you been running?
Grace Donath:
“I have been running since freshman year.”
David Koch:
“9 years.”
Katherine McCabe:
“My dad introduced me to running when I was about 7. Ever since then, I’ve grown to enjoy the competition with my own mind and pushing my body to its limits.”
Sam Gilles:
“This is my first year of xc.”
William Tuma:
“0.”
- What is your favorite memory on the team?
Grace Donath:
“My favorite memory was going to Cracker Barrel when David ordered five dollar cereal.”
David Koch:
“Cereal.”
Katherine McCabe:
“My favorite memories all correlate to the team’s positive relationships. Since my freshman year, cross country has introduced me to some of the best teammates I could ask for. We all bonded extremely well, especially during our runs to Panera.”
Sam Gilles:
“Favorite Memory on the team is Grace. That’s it. Just Grace.”
William Tuma:
“Throwing leaves with Katie and Josh.”
- Do you have any advice for those wanting to join xc?
Grace Donath:
“It’s a lot of hard work, but being on the team is pretty fun.”
David Koch:
“Don’t be afraid of hard days.”
Katherine McCabe:
“To anybody wanting to join cross country, just do it! It’s a great way to get in shape and release stress (especially from Mrs. Gibson’s essays). You also get to eat a LOT of pasta!”
Sam Gilles:
“If you know you can run and have motivation, then join. If you’re joining for any other reason than that, it’s a fun experience ;).”
William Tuma:
“Practice over the summer.”
The varsity cross country team at Cardinal Newman has a friendly atmosphere and a tone of welcoming. The team creates a multitude of fond memories with each other, all of which occur during practices and meets. It is in this comfortable bond that they have created with each other, that the team is able to reach feats not many have at Newman. It was evident in communicating with several team members, that the entire team is able to talk endlessly with each other, and that they are all ultimately friends.
