The girl’s cross-country team is off to a strong start this season with an impressive group of 78 runners. Program head, Aimee Corr, frequently describes the girls as ’80 strong’ which has become a mantra used on the team and is what she believes drives the girls to “chase down PR’s and support each other at every turn.” Coming off the 2023 season with an already large team of 50, the size of the team this season is both unexpected and exciting for anyone who’s been a part of the program.
As the team grows, however, the coaches have had to make changes in order to adapt. The team is organized into three groups based on pace and training experience, with each training group being led by a different coach. Corr stated that this system “allows us to meet the athlete where they currently are in terms of fitness and experience and provides long term development for each athlete.”
When asked what it’s like to manage such a large team, Corr responded “with more numbers, comes more energy,” which every member of the program experiences each day as the 78 athletes run together near Prep campus. The girls’ team also brings their energy to meets as they arrive at the course in Prep blue and cheer for their teammates on the sidelines.
Scarlett Ebel, a senior who has been running cross country since her freshmen year, says her favorite part of being on the team is “the support system that is built throughout the season and makes every runner feel like an important part of the team.” This strong community that Scarlett describes is valuable to many runners like herself and has been a large part of their Prep experience.
When asked about what it’s like to have such a large team this year Scarlett responded, “I’m really glad more girls are joining the team so we can have an even stronger community that reaches more people.” This value of community has contributed to the success of all of the runners, and it is exciting for the program that more students have the opportunity this year to be part of the tight-knit team.
As the season progresses, Corr hopes that “every athlete feels they are part of something bigger, a varsity level sport where they can work hard, stay consistent, focus on the process and hit big goals for the team as well as themselves.” Because of the strong community of runners, each of the 78 girls is able to bring something unique to the team and play an important role, whether an experienced senior or someone looking to try something new. This group of ’80 strong’ will be exciting to follow as they dominate their meets and work towards their goals this season!
