This year, the cross country team has a great chance of winning CCS (Central Coast Section), Coach Dillon Hu said.
This is his third season coaching the cross country team, Hu said. The team has had great coaches, but they were unlucky in recent times and could not win CCS, he added.
“Of all the three years I’ve been coaching the team, this year has the highest probability of winning,” Hu said. “We have a lot of talented runners this season, so instead of relying on a few people, we can count on everyone this time.”
Cross country has no tryouts; anyone is allowed to join, Hu said. The coaches had the incoming freshman practice during summer, so they could work on them as soon as possible, he added.
“Missing practice can be very crucial, as that reduces your momentum and it will take time for your legs to get used to running again,” Hu said. “Nothing stops practice; we even run in the rain.”
Everyone starts at JV and then when the coaches see their lap time, they decide if they go to varsity or JV, Hu said. Cross country is one of those sports where even freshmen can be on varsity, he added.
“Injuries are a pain in this sport. A small injury can affect you long term,” Hu said. “Recovery is a long process. We have to do cross training ellipticals, strengthening exercises and by the time the runner recovers, the season will be almost done.”
This year, the team has a lot of young runners, Junior Shourya Kukkala said. It’s gonna be hard, but they are trying their best to win CCS, he added.
“It’s my first year as a captain, and I have to set a good example by being one of the fastest,” Kukkala said. “There is a lot of competition for varsity, and that’s what we like to see as a team.”
The team can get very tired and unmotivated during practice, Kukkala said. The team captain’s role is to motivate and encourage the team to give their best, he added.
“When I was a freshman, the seniors who were the captains really helped me grow in cross country, and I want to do the same,” Kukkala said. “Good team culture is very important as cross country is a team sport and any disruptions can affect us a lot.”
Coach Dillon is very engaging ,and he tries to make practices fun and interactive, Kukkala said. Coach Dillon observes each one of us and coaches them personally, rather than focusing on the best runners, he added,
“This year our practice is a bit different, ” Kukkala said. “We first do stretches, drills and then we run on the track.”
Cross Country is a fun sport, freshmen Joash Thomas said. The season starts in summer, so a lot of people join the team to do something when they are bored, he added.
“I joined the team for fun, but when I made varsity, I took it very seriously,” Thomas said. “I am very lucky, as freshmen usually don’t make varsity.”
The team has a lot of team bonding activities ,and this improves the social life of the team, Thomas said.
“The team is one big family, and we all try to help each other,” Thomas said. “This is new to me as all the other teams I played during middle school didn’t have this, and it was very boring.”
The workouts for varsity are very different compared to JV, Thomas said. The pace is faster; the longer distance makes it even more challenging, he added.
“Winning CCS would be such a special thing, especially if you contribute,” Thomas said. “When you get an opportunity, you have to make full use of it. Coach Dillon has given me a chance, and I will give it my everything and hope it will be useful for the team.”
