EE Staff Writer
The cross country squad is preparing to be one of the top long distance teams in Connecticut. The team runs daily about ten to twelve miles, and they will continue this regime for a good three months until the climax of the season: the FCIAC Championships. Their consistent practice routines and upbeat attitudes help them prevail in races.
In each race, there are two groups of runners: the varsity girls and the varsity boys. Every group has their own mantra to help them succeed in what they do. The girls have the “3 P’s” of running to help them get pumped before each race. “Positive, Pumped, Phelps,” said girls senior captains Casey Healey and Alexa Phohl. Phohl added, “Followed by a loud cheer, ‘What does Phelps do. He wins!’”
The boys, on the other hand, have a different approach to their pre-game warm-ups. “We huddle up and we scream motivational phrases to get us going,” said senior captain Rami Mohamed. “If you are not suffering, you are not running,” he said. Winning is a priority. Another motivational phrase is also said before each race that comes from the words of Ricky Bobby in the movie Talladega Nights, “If you’re not first, your last!”
The future prospect of the team is highly regarded amongst the coaches and the captains. Even though the senior competitors will be missed, the legacy that they leave will keep the Eagles on their toes. Particularly within the boys varsity team, they feel that next year will be even more prosperous.
Zach Teixera, a senior captain, exclaimed, “This year is full of great young talent. Even if our team lost, there is still a good upside,”
Said the other senior captain, Kevin Crossley. “After every race, the team gets better and better for the next race to come.”
Mr. Schiavone, a past cross country girls’ coach, came from Virginia to help cheer and prepare for the Eagle’s home meet. He drove about seven long hours to see the girls run and to watch their potential growth.
Even the coaches have noticed the team’s gargantuan effort. “It is always tough in these competitions,” said Coach Klein. “It will take loads of effort from these kids to be the best they can be.”
The sky is the limit for this team, and with a star-studded group of seniors at the helm, the Eagles are poised for an FCIAC championship run.
great article, it really shows the feelings of the runner before the race from both the girls and guys teams