The 2019 cross country team has been working hard this season! The heat, hills, and miles are no problem. The team has been working since summer. The team consists of two junior varsity teams and two varsity teams. The total population of the team is “about 50, ” according to head coach Mr. Barcellos.

Practices for the team vary depending on the heat and when race days are. Barcellos knows that heat plays a bigger role than usual this season.  He said, “It’s cutting our runs shorter; we are running more on the canal right now for shade. I would like to be more on the track, but we haven’t been able to do much of that.”

The team has had two invitational runs so far and the first league race is on September 18. The Tigers will be hosting their first race at the home course which is at the San Luis Reservoir.

This year, the league decided to do a few things differently. Instead of having head to head races once a week, there will only be four league races for all schools, but all schools will attend those four races. They call them “cluster” meets. They will definitely be more difficult to organize with the amount of runners from all schools that will be there, but head coaches will just have to wait till the first one to see how it works and make needed adjustments for future meets.

Most team members enjoy cross country because of the bonds created. Its a very welcoming sport, its not about how fast or slow one runs, it is about the effort he/she puts in and how to make the most out of it. Everyone on the team supports each other no matter what; everyone cheers for the runners until the last one comes in. It is a big family that changes every season.