The girls table enjoying Lui Lui’s
Last weekend, October 3-4, the cross-country team had its annual away meet. This year, the races were held at Thetford Academy, Vermont. The Vermont trip was something the team had been looking forward to for quite some time and served as a motivator for the whole team. The prospect of a trip increased competition among veterans and new members alike. The big trip is considered one of the highlights of the cross-country season and is a valuable bonding experience. After a four-hour bus ride north, the team scouted out the course, the Woods Trail, to get an idea of where it would be running the next morning. After that, the teammates shared a nice meal at Lui-Lui’s before heading to the hotel. The athletes were fortunate enough to be there at peak foliage, and the colorful changing of the leaves provided a beautiful experience.
The Woods Trail winds through the forest and up Thetford Hill. It is infamous for having one big incline, Morty’s Monster. The environment at the race was great: there was music playing, temperatures reaching up to 80 degrees, and runners cheering each other on and congratulating one another after their seeded races.
In addition to the warm weather and beautiful landscape, a major highlight of the trip was the opportunity to explore a new course—Coach Singleton’s favorite. The trip was bittersweet for Coach Singleton, who is enjoying his last season before a well-deserved retirement, and for many of the seniors, who are looking to make the most of their last year at WPHS.
Allie Bowman, a senior and varsity runner, serves as a positive role model for the girls. She said that what she will miss most about cross-country is the friends she has made along the way. “Cross-country has helped me make new friends because everyone on the team is extremely kind and supportive and easy to talk to,” Bowman said. She described Vermont as beautiful and mentioned that the trip strengthened the bonds she had with her friends and teammates.
One of the top runners, senior Max Barrera, also had a blast on the trip. His favorite part about Vermont was enjoying the moments with old friends and new friends.
“Just talking to more of my teammates and being around them made me feel like I had another family. It just felt special,” said Barrera.
He is not the only one who feels this way: everyone on the team—from past alumni to the first years—values the important lessons cross-country has taught them, which include discipline, commitment, and the importance of showing up.
As a new member myself, I have truly gained a better understanding of these values and, thanks to senior Will McDermott, who introduced me to the sport, have had the opportunity to appreciate the community of cross-country. Will is one of the captains and sets an example for the rest of the team by supporting his teammates and coming in with a growth mindset and great attitude. Will noted how special it is for Coach Singleton to have a 50-year coaching career and is honored to be a captain on Coach’s final team.
The Vermont trip marked many beginnings and ends, and was quite nostalgic. Will was brought back to the memories of his first trip, describing it as a “very full circle moment to return to Vermont as a senior for the first time since freshman year.”
Senior Michael Mark noted that his final year “doesn’t feel real.”
“This team has been a part of my life for so long and saying goodbye to it is going to be like saying goodbye to a piece of myself,” Mark said.
Even new team members like Lina Hammami spoke highly of the cross-country experience.
“Even though it’s my first year… I have felt the support on this team. I would love for people to get to know our sport better because I feel like what we got here is something people would like,” Hammami said.
From the very first day of practice, Coach Singleton, Coach Hidalgo and Coach Furry radiated enthusiasm and fostered genuine connections among the runners. The environment is great because everybody challenges, motivates and cares about one another, not just in Vermont but at all the races.
“We always support one another by chanting and cheering,” Mark said.
Max, Will, Michael and Allie are just a few of the many student athletes who have developed a close bond with the coaches. All emphasized the supportive environment of the cross-country team, noting that the coaches motivate runners to never give up.