By Clarissa Olson Posted November 13, 2018
The cross country team brought their season to a close on November 3, when four of the members competed at state.
Will Kracaw and Christian Olson for the boys, and Rebecca and Jovi Kuskie for the girls. Kracaw brought home a fifth-place medal, and Jovi Kuskie a seventh-place medal. Alongside a fifth and seventh-place medal brought home by Will Kracaw and Jovi Kuskie, respectively, the boys’ team also won the 3A Academic All-State award, showcasing their vast achievements throughout the season.
“The boys winning the academic state championship is huge,” said coach Kitty Norcutt. “Qualifying four kids for the state meet is a great accomplishment as well. And then with all of our kids throughout the season, it was like every meet we went to, we had kids that were in the top ten and medalled. I think everyone on the team went home with hardware this year.”
The team’s triumphs spanned more than just the state competition.
“I’ll definitely remember this season by medalling at regionals and state,” said Kracaw. “Getting my medal at the Bob Firman meet in Idaho was also a big deal because that’s been one of my goals since I was a Freshman, and I finally got it this year.”
Norcutt attributes the team’s victories to the bond between the kids.
“We really started to work together as a team,” said Norcutt. “Cross country, besides being an individual sport, is a team sport, so it was really nice to see the boys start coming together and running as a team. I actually had a girls’ team for the first time in a long time, and they were really working together.”
The team isn’t just reveling in the successes of this year. They plan on being even stronger in the years to come.
“This is one of the more competitive teams we’ve had,” said Kracaw. “They’re a really young team, so we couldn’t do a lot, but I’d say if you give them a few more years, they’ll be some top-tier competition in the state.”
Cross country is just as much fun as it is business.
“Traveling with them has been really fun,” said Norcutt. “One stand-out moment was when we played Catch Phrase on the bus; that was hysterical. They kind of suck at that game, but it was really funny. We’d also have these team dinners that were really fun. Kids volunteer to host them, usually before our meets, and we try to pasta load, or carbo load, because they’re racing the next day. We do crazy things like having a dance contest or we sing karaoke. We try to make it really fun and relaxed.”
Our cross country team may not be number one in the state, but they never pass up an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of a strong team dynamic.
“I’ll always remember this season by the kids on the team,” said Norcutt. “This was probably my favorite group of kids ever. They were just so much fun to be around, and they’re so competitive. When it was time to be serious and get down to business, they got down to business. When it was time to relax and have fun, they knew when to switch gears and do that. I just really had a great time with these kids.”
What the team does is not easy, but they enjoy every day of it.
“Maybe you can’t run three miles at the beginning of the season,” said Norcutt. “But by the end, not only are you running three miles, but you’re racing three miles. I know a lot of kids are afraid of the sport because it is a difficult sport, but we ease you into it so it doesn’t need to be scary.”
The team even has some advice for anyone considering joining.
“If you’re thinking about going out for cross country, just do it,” said Kracaw. “Sure, it’s hard, but you’ll acclimate. You’ll get used to it, and you’ll be able to run. You’ll be in a lot better shape, and you’ll just feel better. If you’re thinking about doing it, just do it. Try it for a year, and if it doesn’t work out, then it’s only a semester.”
