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At Springville Junior High, there are a lot of opportunities for sports. One of these is Cross Country. Cross Country is basically long distance running. Kids compete in one and a half mile meets each week on Thursdays. On Monday through Wednesday they practice, usually running two to four miles each day. Ms. Carrie Parker, the aerobics and body conditioning teacher, coaches the team. All grades can run and compete.
Kids on the Cross Country team run about three and a half to four hours each week. Sometimes they do special activities, like hill sprints. In hill sprints kids run up a steep hill as fast as they can several times. Most kids think it is hard, but worth it. Spencer Duncan, an eight grader on the team, said that they are good “because they get you used to running hills.” Kids are challenged each day. Owen Gardner, another eighth grader, said that “You use your physical ability and your mental ability to keep going.”
Kids have lots of fun in Cross Country. Alex Hawker, a seventh grader, said that “Running clears my mind.” Emily Daybell, one of the ninth graders on the team, said, “I love running to cool places.”
Ms. Parker is very enthusiastic about the team. She said, “We have a good turnout of a great group of runners. I love being a coach.” According to her, it is a great experience because she gets to watch runners get better at what they do.
Many team members think that meets are an important and fun part of Cross Country. There have been two meets so far. In both meets, the boys took first and the girls took third. Unlike other sports, where how good the team does is based on whoever got in first, Cross Country depends on the five fastest runners on the team. Their placements are added together to give the team a score. The school with the lowest score wins.
Many people are curious about how the new seventh grade team members will turn out. Ms. Parker said, “The seventh graders are a strong addition to our team.” Most seventh graders are glad to participate in Cross Country. According to Alex, everyone has been very nice to the seventh graders even though they are new.