During the Covid-19 pandemic the Selma High cross country team has faced some setbacks and difficulties but players keep their heads up high and are ecstatic as their season slowly starts to commence again. Brandon Hidalgo, senior co-captain for the Selma High cross country team, shares some insight onto the season, personal excitement, and his goals for the season. 

“I was really excited for this season, I was working out during the lockdown hoping things would get better but they didn’t”, Hidalgo shared when asked about how the pandemic was affecting him personally.  He also expressed this as a type of morale shot for himself and the other players, but kept motivated by reminding himself of his passion and love for running. 

“The thing I love most about cross country is being able to clear my mind during runs, all I’m thinking about is the route and how good [the distraction] feels since school and other things in my life make me stressed,” Hidalgo explained.

As time progressed so did the development of the current standing of Selma High’s Cross Country Team. Hidalgo reported that team practices would finally start in late October to prepare for their first approved match taking place in December. The season would also get an extension all the way up until February to compensate for lost time due to cancelled meets and practices. With the excitement of the season finally commencing, Hidalgo shared a few goals for the season.

”Everybody this year wants to go further [in competition ranking] than we did last year. We made it out of League Championships last year and landed in second place so we weren’t able to move on. This year we plan to win the league meets and go beyond that,” he stated. 

Hidalgo is optimistic for a good season this year, and hopes to continue competing outside of highschool on the university level after graduation.