Getting back on course Girls cross country team reestablishes bonds with each other
W
hen the world shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the implications were not yet clear. Students were told they would be back in school in two to three weeks and not to worry. But that goal came and passed as students remained out of school. Spring sports were canceled by IHSAA and 1 students on all teams were forced to adapt to maintain their training regiments. For the girls cross country team, being forced to run outside of a team setting proved difficult for many due to the lack of team motivation. Now that the team is back together at school and practices, runners believe the atmosphere is getting closer to where it used to be. “COVID changed cross country a lot,” senior Vera Schafer said. Spectators weren’t allowed at meets, it wasn’t as fun and the sport wasn’t as enjoyable because we didn’t get the full experience. This year, everything is starting to open back up, and all we have to do is wear our masks, which isn’t a big deal. It’s a lot more fun, and I’m loving it.” Although the team is back to competing, the initial blow of COVID canceled the spring track season many girls participated in, damaging many runners’ incentive to keep training consistently.
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Tiger Times
Andrew Haughey
haughand000@hsestudents.org
“At the time, our 4x800 was bond the team has worked to ranked first in the state,” Schafer build this year. said. “It was a major blow to “Being back together at our mental health and our selfschool and practices has been esteem in the motivating for the girls and has sense that we helped them have a better sense were losing our of community within the team,” seniors that year Belloli said. “Even though it is and wouldn’t not exactly the same as prebe able to finish COVID, things are a lot closer to out the season normal this year than they were the way we last year.” usually do.” Junior Ana Foutty accredits In spite of the the little things, such as pasta events being dinners, that the team missed canceled early out on last year as being the in 2020, the main reason the team is so close team is still now. facing COVID “I definitely gained guidelines a motivation,” Foutty said. year and a half “Having a closer team later, such as a mask mandate. relationship allows us to push Head coach Andrew Belloli said each other a lot more. We all this was one work to get better of the biggest for the team.” unforeseen This newfound issues still motivation has plaguing the allowed runners team. to achieve the “The goals they set for rules and themselves before restrictions the pandemic have changed started. a lot over “I started the past running - for the year,” Belloli first time - track 2 said. “It is my freshman year, always an so my goal was to 1. Juniors Brooke Butts and adjustment be able to finish a Nithya Murthy run together at when there run,” Foutty said. the sectional meet at Pendleton “Being able to be is a change Heights High School on Oct. 9. in the a varsity athlete Butts and Murthy would finish guidelines.” my first season of 20th and 16th, respectfully. 2. While the running and being Freshman Corinne McClanahan able to continue pandemic rounds a post at the sectional lingers it out my second meeet at Pendleton Heights on, Belloli year of running is High School on Oct. 9. remains more than I ever McClanahan would finish 24th. thankful for thought I would Photos by Andrew Haughey. the close do.”
October 2021
