On your marks, get set, go! After over a year of setbacks, the Boys Cross Country team is finally gearing up for a ‘normal’ season. Head Boys Coach Patrick Schneider has many goals for the team as they return to running in what they hope will be a successful next few months.
“We’d like to win [at] conference. We certainly have a shot at it,” Schneider says. In addition, he predicts that individual athletes have a good chance of making it to state. “Our goal is to keep getting better [and] improving our times,” Schneider says. “Actually, I’d say most of my boys so far have set their lifetime fastest 5k times.”
Varsity Cross Country runner and senior Kai Sorensen, reflects on how competitions serve as opportunities for the athletes.
“Having these big meets allows for us to race against some of the top teams in the state and pushes us to run better every week,” he says.
Following Dane County’s new public health mandates, it is now possible for outdoor school activities to occur unmasked, with proper distancing. According to Schneider, it has been an enormous relief for the athletes.
“Running with a mask on, even during practice, is just brutal,” Schneider reports. He finds it much easier to interact with students while being able to match names to ‘unmasked’ smiles. “It’s just nice to get together and see people’s faces… it feels much more normal,” he says.
The athletes share a similar outlook on what awaits.
“I look forward to breaking my lifetime personal record and getting to run races without masks on!” senior Tom Unitan says.
“The JV runners are having a great time […] and are having fun doing something they love,” says senior Brandon Kreger. “If you’re looking for a friendly, inviting, and hard working experience, I would highly recommend joining Cross Country. I joined later in my high school career and I wish that I would’ve joined sooner!”
Coach Schneider also senses that his team is well equipped for the season. “I feel like I’ve got a really great group of guys, they work hard… [and] they get along,” he says. “We may be able to get a few of them through [to] state, and I’m just excited about the season; it’s nice to have something normal going on.”