New Cross Country Coach Pushes Team Towards Successful Season

JIMMY TANG
Copy Editor

While most students slept in their air-conditioned rooms through the summer mornings, runners of the AHS cross country team were on the track where they felt nothing but the clay-colored dirt and sunlight beating down on their shoulders. Since then, the Moors have spent countless hours on the track, hoping that their efforts will pay off during the Almont League’s season.
“Our strength […] is our determination because we’re considered the underdogs,” varsity Captain Andrew Torres said.
After finishing their previous season with a second-place rank, the runners began practicing in as little as one month into their summer. A practice day would begin around 8:30 a.m., consisting of either long-distance runs, ranging from six to seven miles, or speed runs which focus on the runners’ speed.
“I want them to go out there and give me what they can, so when they do get a day of rest, they can see the difference,” Head Coach Sandra Rodriguez said.
In addition to their grueling practices, the team has had to incorporate changes to their program, such as the introduction of their new varsity Coach, Sandra Rodriguez, who took the position after former varsity Coach Steve Morales went into retirement.
“Sandra isn’t that different from [Morales]; she coached him, so their values […] are the same,” Torres said.
According to Torres, Rodriguez emphasizes the principle of teamwork. As the “underdogs,” it is important for the runners to compete as a unified team.
“I believe team effort gets you what you want because […] if your team can’t perform, you can’t win a championship,” Rodriguez said.
With fewer than three months to compete, the Moors are hoping to take the league title for the first time in over 30 years.