Fading Footsteps

By Ava Fultz (Sports)

Grit, hard work, resilience and dedication are all characteristics required for the most mentally tough sport known as Cross Country. The sport consists of running various distances from 5k to 10k, hundreds of hours of hard work boiling down to 20 minutes of racing.

The origin of running starts in England during the 19th century, derived from games like the paper chase, where the objective of the game was to follow the runner who left behind paper trails. Cross country officially became a sport in 1937 after the first meet was recorded by a rugby school in Britain. The sport had its first international breakthrough in 1903 and its first Olympics in 1912, but eventually had to stop due to difficulties with weather and terrain. Today, cross country serves as a sport for many distance runners and is a global sport with high schools participating in the intricate sport of running through various terrains.

Springfield High School’s very own cross country team has been facing adversity due to the dwindling number of girls joining the team. With injuries and a low number of girls, the team has been feeling all sorts of pressure, which only gives them more motivation to succeed and work through all the adversity thrown their way. Kayden Arjsamat, a senior who has been on the team for all four years of her high school career, discusses the impact of team spirit when the team has fewer girls. “Going from 15 girls to eight girls, I definitely saw a change in the team spirit; the way everyone gets excited for practice and meets is a significant change that I witnessed” she said. When asked what did not change, Arjsamat responded by naming Trae Cotner, the head cross country coach. Coach Cotner continues to provide physically demanding workouts every week with the intent of improving enough to make it to the State meet.

Halfway through the regular season, the Senators continue to adapt to modifications within the lineup as injuries occur. Freshman Sophia Llosa, the number one runner, communicates the benefits of having a small team. “Having a smaller team makes it easier to be closer as a team and takes pressure off when running because we are all there for each other.” Llosa also explains her dedication to her sport outside of practice. To be the number one runner, she works out nightly and goes on walks and bike rides during the season.

With a smaller team this year, questions arise like why are girls not doing cross country? The difficult perception of cross country and time commitment could play a major role in decision-making for high schoolers. Cross country requires endurance and consistency, which could seem intimidating compared to other, more popular, less physically demanding activities. Another factor is time commitment, practicing every day and traveling for meets can take time that could be used for homework, jobs or hanging out with friends.

So why should girls take the risk and try out for the cross country team? The sport teaches mental toughness and maintaining a positive mental attitude through difficult times. Cross country also creates habits of resilience and fitness, all traits that can last a lifetime. Running provides an outlet for young minds; the intense cardio can help relieve stress and anxiety, which is common among high schoolers taking rigorous classes. So the diminishing love for cross country at SHS may be apparent, but the love for teammates and vigorous workouts will always remain within the hearts of the girls’ cross country team.