You know who they are; the team who not only travels, practices, sweats and bleeds together, but are virtually inseparable when it comes to events outside of their sport. They make it through the season with remarkable determination, dedication and discipline, as well as the support of their teammates.
Grueling off-season training helps improve their stamina as well as creates enduring bonds between teammates that show through in their performance in competition and their relationships outside of just practices and meets. This team dynamic has pushed the boys’ team up to high national standing. You know who they are: the cross country team.
A unique aspect of cross country is the mental endurance that accompanies the long-distance running.
“It’s a gut-sport,” senior Rylie Miller said. “It’s just you the whole time, and how well you can get through it.”
Head Coach JJ Wannamaker believes that while there is an individual aspect of the sport, teamwork is important as well.
“There are two sides,” Wannamaker said. “There’s
the individual side, and there’s the team side of it.” While Miller believes it is largely individual, she agrees that the team supports each other. Sophomore Lauren McCarthy believes that the team definitely shares special relationships with one another through this support. “If you go out and run 10 miles with someone,
you’ll bond with them,” McCarthy said. “That’s a lot of pain you’re going through.”
McCarthy ran varsity last season, and has recently begun running again after being benched due to an injury. Injuries are common to cross country runners, and Coach Wannamaker believes that they have a noticeable impact on the team, saying that they deter from the “team chemistry.” Team members feel that injuries are negative.
“They can injure your team in the future,” sophomore Isaac Brethour said. Despite the effects that injuries have on the team, there is no doubt that the runners share a special relationship.
“It’s kind of like a little family,” Brethour said. Miller shares Brethour’s point-of-view. “You see each other at your ugliest moments and at your happiest moments,” she said. “It’s kind of like siblings.”
Even though the runners are close friends, there is a degree of competition within the team that proves to be beneficial when it comes to results during meets.
“There is also some competition going on,” Brethour said, “but it pushes us.”
Whether it is the healthy competition or special bonds between teammates that create their impressive results, the boys are undefeated in the state of Kansas and Ranked No. 1, and also recently became League Champions, the first time since 1995. So what does this record mean for the cross country team?
“It shows that a team that practices together, wins together,” Brethour said.