Every fall, the cross country team at Vallivue shows up during summer break, before school even starts, and they run through the super hot heat, cold rain, and all different types of weather. This year’s Vallivue team is the same. No matter who it is, every runner has a story. They are all in different places in the sport, but judging from the interviews, they are all in it for a lot more than just being quick runners.
Ethan Jones is a sophomore and a very consistent runner on the team. He is “trying to break 21 minutes.” But for Jones, the sport is more about confidence than anything.
He has been working hard this season, “trying to build endurance for his 5k.” He will go for longer runs if he has to, always pushing himself to do more. When a race gets difficult, Jones reminds himself that “everyone is also going through the pain of running, but it’s all about who can handle the pain better.”
Sophomore Nate Hettiger is a very dedicated runner. He has been in cross country since 6th grade, and just like Jones, he is also “aiming to be the best he can.” His main goal is to also “break 21 minutes this season.” In training, Hettiger is currently “working on endurance” so he gets “through the last mile more easily.” When Hettiger gets nervous, his best advice is to “use self-talk and pace yourself.” He’s humble, hardworking, and overall a great teammate.
Roman Cawdery is a freshman on varsity! He seems like a goofy kid at practices, but it’s all fun ann games until he’s in a race. Cawdery’s goal by the end of this season is to “break 19 for the 5k.” Thanks to one of his best friends, he joined cross country and ended up having a talent for it! He wanted to “continue the sport in high school, and now he’s making his mark, getting better every race.”
Claire Pierce is a freshman in her first year of cross country. She works hard during practices and always makes sure to bring her peers to the top along with her. She joined cross country to be “a better sprinter for the upcoming track season but turns out having more fun and making memories with her friends and coaches, and hopes to do another year of cross country.”
Carter Blackner (junior), Aidin Scott (junior), Ethan Williamson (sophomore), Jackson Hesterman (sophomore), and Blake Belnap (freshman) are good examples of dedication. These boys have been working hard during practices along with maintaining their position on varsity. They all have PR goals for the end of the season and are hoping that, if they keep up their hard work, they can reach their goals. And let’s not forget about Varsity girls Kiva Torres (sophomore), Vera Teats (sophomore) , Rebecca Carson (sophomore), Sayda O’Conner (senior), Savannah Stewart, Macy Benedick (junior), and Caera Renfro (junior).
Coach Thomas, Coach Ritthaler, and Coach Sanderson all have interesting stories on how they became coaches. Their goals for this Cross Country season are to have all the kids finish the season and to see them improve. This season is headed in a great direction with every runner running under 30 minutes! By the end of the season, the runners will be filled with new memories and new knowledge.
You can catch our Cross Country teams in action at their next meet on Thursday, Oct. 2 at Lakeview Park in Nampa.
