Community Service

Winning and working hard are important to the West Virginia University cross country team, but becoming successful and positive role models on and off the course is just as significant.

Each year, the Mountaineers work to give back to Morgantown and surrounding communities. The WVU cross country team has donated its time to helping the Jerry Lewis Telethon, an event aimed toward helping kids with muscular dystrophy and related diseases. The Mountaineers do their part to help the cause by answering telephones, which are constantly ringing with supportive donors. The Mountaineers also are frequent visitors to WVU Medicine Children’s and the Ronald McDonald House and help several different local community service projects. The team also regularly donates its time and knowledge by hosting and teaching local youth the fundamentals of the sport. Along with strengthening the youngsters’ skills, the Mountaineers also teach the participants the importance of good sportsmanship, courage, determination and hard work. Additionally, Coach Cleary’s student-athletes can be found reading to children at local elementary schools in the “Read Aloud” program. During their visits, the student-athletes read to students in several classrooms and encourage them to apply themselves to their studies. Mountaineer coaches and players also take part in Relay for Life of Monongalia County, the American Cancer Society’s staple event, which offers everyone in the community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer.