Learn the incredible story of South’s up-and-coming Cross Country team and their journey to victory!
South has many fall sports to offer, including the amazing Cross Country team. Training for Cross Country began toward the end of June, with the official season kicking off in August, continuing until November. So far this year, the team has competed in five total races, and athletes have set a multitude of personal records.
Team community was a huge factor in athletes’ love of the sport.
“I love going on runs with my friends and the strong sense of community of cross country,” senior Luna Degler stated.
The connections between student athletes seems to be the thing that makes it the most fun for this team. “Each person on the team, no matter how fast they are, everyone matters a lot,” senior Yosuke Shibata said. “I think it’s really fun to race with that sort of camaraderie.”
As always, a new year ushers in a new class of freshman to every sport, and this year was no different. According to Degler, this year’s freshman class is extremely fast and enthusiastic.
“We have a lot of underclassmen on our team this year. I think there’s been some adjusting to different personalities, but we’ve made up a lot of ground and our whole team is super close,” Shibata stated. “I think we have a really good thing going.”
Along with a positive team culture, the runners have excelled in their races. Shibata broke his own school record by 10 seconds in the 5,000-m on Sept. 26 at the Bob Firman Invitational, making him ranked fourth in the U.S.
He isn’t the only one who has been setting records, however, as the entire team has been working hard and reaping the rewards by setting PR after PR. Under Coach Jeff Hess, many of the boys’ underclassmen have broken 18 min in the 5,000-m, with five athletes running sub-17, as well.
On the girls’ side, Eva Johnson Hess leads a strong group of sophomores and upperclassmen, with much of the team already breaking their personal bests.
While the season did start more than a month ago, the team still openly welcomes new runners. If you are interested in being a part of a strong, community-driven team, reach out to Yosuke Shibata, Renee Watkins, Dakota Jett, or Cora Ludwig. Any of them would be happy to help you get started!
Article by Noa Gitelson