This year the cross country season was filled with many ups and downs. One highlight of the season is that three of the team’s runners made districts this year.

Junior Summer Hogan was one of the runners that made districts this year. She said, “the atmosphere was incredible.” She also stated that she was extremely proud of and pleased with her performance and her teammates’ performances because they all got personal records at districts. Hogan is a dedicated athlete and runner who puts a lot of time and effort into this sport, so making districts was something she expected herself to do. 

Hogan credits coach Jennifer Miller for pushing the team to achieve their best. Miller made sure to turn in score sheets so these students would be recognized on the announcements and kept their Instagram updated with their season stats. Hogan shared that in past seasons, it was hard for this sport to get the recognition it deserved by the school and public. Hogan said, “Everyday I would put miles and miles on my legs, and give it my all every practice, just to be disappointed at the end of the season with my efforts not being acknowledged.”  

Miller explained that in cross country, making districts is much more difficult than it used to be because now you have to be one of the top 20 runners at the YAIAA meet to qualify for districts. She hopes that next year more of the team will qualify for districts and continue to drop and improve their times to do so.

Hogan shares the hope that the team as a whole will improve and keep growing together. With having to go through this season with trial and error with the new course and a young team, Hogan was extremely proud of her team for never quitting or opting out at all this season.