Selma High School’s first cross country event was held at Sierra Pacific on August 25th.
The cross country team regularly has pre-season workouts during the summer. This year was no exception as they began on August 11th. Practices for the team are held every weekday after school. They are able to rest on the weekends.
“Since practice is after school, I am able to have the rest of the day after practice just to dedicate to whatever it is [that] I need to do,” senior Jasmine Godinez commented. For Godinez, the practice times are convenient as they do not interfere with other activities and tasks from school. Knowing how to manage her time was one of the positive aspects that cross country reinforced.
“In cross country I’ve learned it’s important to have self-discipline in order to push myself each day to do my very best,” Godinez remarked. “Working hard everyday, even on the days when I’m tired, or the weather doesn’t help, ultimately leads [the] hard work to pay off.”
Cross country is a demanding sport as it is a rigorous task to run, sometimes around three miles, consecutively. The sport, additionally, challenges their mind to remain motivated during practice and races in order to arrive at the finish line.
To improve, senior Janet Martinez believes that a positive mindset is the key.
“Interval training is a great way to push yourself and see progress in your cross country performance. It helps build endurance, speed, and mental toughness,” Martinez affirmed. “You’d be amazed at how much you can improve with consistent training and most importantly, a positive mindset.”
Coach Henson suggested that pressure on the students results in an efficacious outcome.
“In cross country the only way they’re going to improve [is if] they want to improve. You can’t run for them, and you don’t know how hard they’re running when they practice. The pressure is on the students. You can give them a workout. It’s like medicine, and you hope it works,” Coach Henson reflected.
Cross country also helps build a strong connection between the runners. Members of the team offer supportive words for runners, and they celebrate each others’ accomplishments. Although the sport is individualistic, it is up to each member to create an atmosphere within the team to make it feel like a team sport. It is one of the things that Martinez values in cross country.
“You’ll have the opportunity to build relationships with other runners and work towards common goals,” Martinez mentioned. “The feeling you get once you cross that finish line and achieve your goals [is a rewarding part of cross country].”
Through cross country, the team builds connections and skill in building stamina regarding their physical and mental condition. It also creates a memorable experience. This experience is what Coach Henson hopes his students will be able to take away from the sport, and the ability to pass it on to other runners.
