Coming together to stay together

Maddie Mautino

Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Xavier High School’s 2020 girls cross country team commented on how they reflect a family like atmosphere, which has helped them overcome many obstacles during meets and practices. Coach Bryan Jones talked about why it is so important to work as a group, even though cross country is considered an individual sport. 

“I think it is very beneficial to have a very strong team and family atmosphere,” Jones said. “Even though it’s usually seen as an individual effort during races, the goal is to get as many of the girls running with one another as possible. One strong runner out front can help a team but a group of strong runners running together, pushing each other and supporting each other is even better.”

Not only did the coach mention this, but the girls have noticed how beneficial it is to work together as well. In particular, senior Elizabeth Schmitt discussed ways the upperclassmen have helped involve and welcome freshmen and newcomers to the team.

“During practices, we all ask and answer questions about our lives in order to get to know each other better. We also bond a lot over our love, and sometimes our hate, of running,” Schmitt said. 

A new member of the cross country team, junior Eden Campbell has been impacted by the family bond the cross country team has brought into her life. 

“One of the main reasons I joined cross country was to be a part of a fun, light hearted group of friends,” Campbell said. “A couple friends from school talked me into joining the team about a week before mandatory practices started, and although I was nervous to do something totally new to me, high school is all about trying new things and it was definitely worth it.”

As a newcomer to Iowa, Xavier and to the cross country team, junior Ana Cawley is enthusiastic about how easy the team has made it for her moving from Connecticut to Iowa.

“The girls’ cross country team has probably been one of the most welcoming teams I have ever been a part of. Mrs. Lemker [the assistant coach] is literally the nicest woman ever and she always talks to me about where I lived before and tells me everything I need to know about Iowa,” Cawley said. 

Just as any other team experiences difficult times and struggles, the Xavier girls cross country team has faced some challenges that involve keeping motivated and having good energy alive during practices and meets.

“Knowing that your teammates are running with you, working just as hard as you and are pushing themselves to the best of their abilities, just like you, helps boost you in a race,” Jones said.       

Campbell added onto that by explaining how talking during those difficult practices helps take the team’s minds off of the runs and allows them to have some fun during their struggles. Cawley echoed this message, as well. 

“When we run past each other, we are always yelling to push each other on and to let everyone know that they are doing a good job. Everyone always has each other’s back and it’s probably one of my favorite things about cross country,” Cawley said.

Even though there are struggles both physically and mentally, Jones, Schmitt, Campbell and Cawley all expressed how they would not change or switch teams for the world, which can be witnessed today, Thursday, September 24, at 5:00 p.m. at Noelridge Park.