How Our Cross Country Team Builds Camaraderie Through Competition
Although some may view cross country as an individual sport, teamwork and support are crucial for high school cross country athletes. Through shared training experiences and shared encouragement, athletes develop strong bonds that increase their overall performance and enjoyment of the sport. As a member of my high school team, I’ve witnessed firsthand how these connections and bonds not only nurture a positive environment but also push us as competitors to achieve personal bests and team wins during races.
Training with the Team
Training together is central to what makes the cross-country team special. At practice, not only are we improving our physical strength and endurance but also bonding and learning to push with our teammates. Whether it’s early morning runs, tempo workouts, or long run days, we tackle each challenge running side by side on the trail. Every practice brings our team closer together in and outside of the sport. Since Cross Country starts training during summer, most runners go into school knowing at least 30 other students. Cross country athletes usually have an easier time adjusting to a new school because of all the new friendships they acquired during pre-season training. I myself am very close with each one of my teammates and chose to surround myself with them at school.
Supporting the Team at Races
Race days are a product of our hard work and dedication, and the support we provide to our teammates is vital. A huge part of what makes cross-country races fun is the cheering and supporting of our teammates. On a regular high school cross country team, there are 3 teams: Frosh-Soph, Junior Varsity, and Varsity. While one of these races is going on, our teammates run back and forth throughout the course cheering on each other. Once again I have witnessed firsthand how the cheering of my teammates makes my races better.
Let’s say you are running up a massive hill and losing stamina very quickly, and just when you want to give up, your teammate is cheering and screaming your name while waving pom-poms in the air. This is the type of camaraderie and support that cross-country athletes exert. Another way these athletes show teamwork at cross-country meets is on the starting line. The starting line of a race is truly a beautiful thing. Racers are all stacked in line, elbow to elbow with the girl or boy that they will push with and against for the whole race. For most races, competitors will high-five or show some sign of good luck to the racers beside them, whether or not they are a teammate.
Cross Country Scoring
Cross country may not come across as a team sport, but when you dive down into the stats, you realize how important each runner is and how their place greatly contributes to the final score. In a race there are generally 7 racers per team, and each runner has a very important job: pass the person in front of them. Like golf, cross country is based on whoever has the lowest score wins. The top 5 racers are the scorers, so whatever place they get contributes to the team’s score. For example, if an athlete gets third place in the race, they contribute three points to their team’s score. The sixth and seventh athletes are known as the displacers; they are there to throw off and add points to other teams’ scorers. For example, if the sixth runner on one team passes the fifth runner on another team, that fifth runner is now down one place and contributes more points to their team’s score. In the end, cross country is very much a team sport because each runner adds to the final score.
In the end, what truly sets cross country apart is the strong sense of camaraderie that has developed through our shared experiences. As we race and train together, support each other, and celebrate our wins and losses, we not only grow as athletes but also as individuals. The bonds and lessons we learn will carry beyond the finish lines and will be very helpful skills in the “long run.”. Each workout, each race, and each moment together adds to the growing camaraderie of the team and benefits everyone, physically and emotionally.
