The newly crowned cross-country city champions can be described by their drive, commitment and self-assurance. These athletes have put a tremendous amount of work into their training, displaying confidence and passion that has propelled them to the top.
The cross-country team has shown a large amount of improvement and vigor since last season. Their dedication has opened new possibilities, and now they are aiming for the chance to become regional champions.
“Hard work pays off,” Sam Catlin (9) said. “To be able to perform to the standard in which we cannot lose; it feels pretty good.”
The cross-country team was confident that they would take home this city championship. This major win has fired up much of the team, making them even more motivated than they were before. This significant achievement has given them a huge boost in confidence and energy, pushing them to work harder with the anticipation of competing at a much higher level.
“We practiced a lot on this and have been talking about it since conditioning in the summer and here we are; we won city [for] both boys and girls,” Kameron Kearney (12) said.

The impact of cross-country on these athletes has been significant and life-changing. It has shaped not only their physical attributes but also their mental integrity, creating a sense of discipline and commitment that goes beyond just running. Cross-country helps develop skills that go farther than the athletic field and instead branch into various aspects of life.
“I find it’s easier to do harder tasks,” Catlin said. “Running has helped [my] headspace for things like focusing on homework or in class with assessments. I don’t want to let my talent go to waste; I don’t want to just sit there and do nothing with my life. I would rather go out there and run cross-country.”
Outside of cross-country, many runners express their desire to make someone proud, such as family members and friends. This highlights the emotional connections some runners need to excel in their sport and enhance their performance. For many of these runners, this win was deeply moving and motivating. Many were packed with emotions that produced an even stronger drive to keep going.
“I don’t want [for] my parents to have to pay for everything,” Catlin said. “I’m trying to get a scholarship however I can whether that’s in academics or athletics. I think maybe we expected to win, but even though we were by far the best team it still felt so good to actually bring home some hardware, and we’re still looking forward to regionals.”
The cross-country team’s victory did not happen by chance; it required a lot of demanding work. The runners put in countless hours of training, and many pushed themselves to their limits, allowing them to keep up and win by a large margin over their competitors. The team’s success was a result of their training, determination and genuine desire to win.
“I love running but running sucks, like in the moment you’re not super happy,” Catlin said. “So, I was just trying not to let down my team. If you’re not feeling pain when you’re running, then you’re not doing it right.”
For runners, the key to keeping that drive and ambition to succeed lies in finding a source of inspiration. This motivation acts as fuel, igniting their passion and pushing them to strive for victory, even when their races become challenging.
“Thinking about the finish line, [especially] if I see the finish line, pushes me to finish stronger than if I were 500 meters away from the finish line,” Kearney said.
Success in a race depends on several factors, and excelling in one requires dedication and a desire to run. Still, it is important to understand that this is just one piece of the puzzle, as there are many other aspects that influence the journey toward winning.
“Running is more mental than physical,” Kearney said. “Anybody can run [but] you just have to have the mindset of running.”