This is Mark Heintz’s ninth year as the Head Girls Cross Country Coach. He makes note that the team is doing very well and points out that there have never been more runners on the team.

The team is definitely expected to do well, practicing almost daily for the entire summer. Even if a runner couldn’t make it to practice, the expectation was that she run on her own time. Sunday was the only day off.

But practice surely didn’t stop once school rolled around. The athletes still continue to have practice every day of the school week and Saturdays. All of the practice is in preparation for the team’s meets, which occur every Thursday and Saturday.

Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors all put in hard work for the team. Not only is the team open to all grades, but the varsity team is, as well. Heintz adds that an athlete can be on junior varsity one day and move up to varsity the next.

The team is currently putting in extra effort as they perform without top runner, senior Emily Stegmeier, who’s currently injured. Other high-achieving athletes that Heintz mentioned included junior Abbey Casey, who he said has exhibited a great amount of improvement.

One thing remaining the same for the entire team is the core set of goals the team has always had. Concerning the teams’ goals, Heintz said that “General improvement in every runner and qualifying for sectionals” are what the team is looking for.