Practice for the cross country season started Aug. 12. Around seventy students showed up excited to start the new season; the largest number the team has had in the past four years.

The team is filled with both new and old faces, who are determined to use the size of the team to their advantage, using each other to push off  and become stronger runners.

The runners have been training during the off season to make sure they didn’t lose their endurance or speed necessary to have a great season. This summer, as well as the past few summers, cross country practice was available to help the runners train. Unlike other summers, where most of the team did their summer training on their own, the boys and girls teams met different places, during various different times, to help push each other during their off season.

“We had a lot of guys who stepped up over the off season and that will help lead the team in being successful,” Senior Brandon Chac said.

Not only did the team continue running over the off season, many of the members also started weight lifting and building up their muscles to prepare them for the hard work and strain they will put on themselves during the season.

In past years the varsity teams have only had enough varsity runners to fill the seven varsity spots available. This year on the boys varsity team, there are around ten guys competing for seven spots. The girls team has enough girls to make a full varsity team as well this year. The team is placed sixth for the pre-season at districts and their goal is to place fourth in districts qualifying them, as a team, for sectionals.

“ We have the strength and caliber, if we dedicate ourselves and work hard I think we will be able to place top four at districts,” Chac said.

The Cross Country team will open up the season on Sept. 6 in the 1st Capital Meet at McNair at 4:00 p.m.