Last Saturday, the men’s and women’s cross-country teams kicked off their season at the Gulf Coast Stampede in Pensacola, Fla.
The men’s team placed first as senior Andrew Evans led the way, finishing first. The women’s team also placed first at the meet with junior Ewa Zaborowska taking her third career cross-country victory.
After winning their first meet, junior Dallis Bailey and junior Taylor Lively said they are both excited about the season the team has ahead of them.
According to Lively, the team has more guys and girls than ever and they are always pushing each other and lifting one another up.
“The team is growing together so close already,” Bailey said. “Our personalities get along great. We are competitive with one another, but always rejoice in one another’s success. We compete for a team goal, not an individual goal.”
Each team also has clear goals set to help push them as far as they can go this year and the years to come.
Bailey and Lively both said their team’s goal is to win the conference championship and move on to compete at nationals. Both teams came very close to this goal last year, and Lively said if they stick together he has no doubt they can do it.
“I try not to focus on personal goals too much during cross-country,” Lively said. “I just do what’s best for the team, and I improve.”
Coach Steve Guymon has been working to make sure the teams are both in good shape and on the right track to reach their goals. Bailey said they normally do two hard workouts a week, one long run and then maintenance runs to finish out the week, but their real source of inspiration comes from Guymon.
“We couldn’t do what we do without a strong and encouraging coach like Coach Guymon,” Bailey said. “He believes in us more than we believe in ourselves.”
Bailey and Lively said they are both confident the team will do very well. According to Lively, the team has a good number of talented, young runners who will keep the program strong this year and in the years to come. Bailey said that because they care about each other as friends first and then teammates, they will continue to grow closer and succeed.
“If we can continue to pull together on and off the course there is no limit to what we can do,” Bailey said.
The cross-country teams will head to Joplin, Mo. to compete in the Southern Stampede hosted by Missouri Southern State University on Sept. 21.
