Cross Country member, Nolen Geitz, running hard at a recent track meet

The Fair Grove cross country team launched their new season this school year led by Coach Brendan Carroll. Practices include layouts such as hill routes, long jogs, or the occasional speed training on the track. Coach Carroll explained, “As the season goes on, the length and intensity of the practices increase.” Each cross country meet has different terrain and obstacles. The different schools they compete at changes the practices for the next week to prepare. Carrol then elaborated saying, “If a meet is going to have several hills, we might do more hill work. A flat meet, more speed work.” The practices Carroll puts his runners through prepare them for each meet.

“Our goal is always constant improvement- to build speed and endurance through the season,” stated Coach Carroll. For a high school runner a meet will, on average, include 3 miles of running. A great goal for high school runners is to do well at district meets to advance to state competition.  Senior, Stephen Scaletty, has been involved with cross country for 6 years. He said, “I want to go to state, personally.” He also explained that he wants to see Alex Ince reach state as well, and for the team as a whole to do well this season. Scaletty’s favorite part about the sport is the people he runs with and meets, both on the team and at competitions. Each year the cross country team gains new runners, mainly 7th and 8th graders. One of which is Nolen Geitz, who joined cross country to get in shape for basketball. He has enjoyed running with his friends every day during practice to prepare for future competitions.

With the start of the new season a few upcoming cross country meets are at Hollister on September 19th, Stockton on September 24th, Fair Grove on October 1st, and Pleasant hope on October 8th. All meets start at 4 o’clock unless rescheduled. 

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