Cross Country Team in Full Stride

By Ramon Cosper
Pulse Staff Reporter

In intercollegiate sports, students face many obstacles in everyday life. In cross-country, one of the key factors that distinguish the average student/athlete from the All-American student/athlete is continuous training and dedication.
“Running is a mental sport as much as it is physical,” said Elizabeth McCumber, sophomore, Art/Kinesiology major. “If you're not in the right frame of mind before you start a race, you can easily fall into the comfort zone and run thentire race without really pushing yourself,” says McCumber. Runner clipart

The challenge is the driving force behind the runner, not the other runners. The Palo Alto team seemed to be a well-kept secret until the recent National Championships last fall in Delhi, N.Y. that landed the men's and women's team with a fourth place overall victory and national recognition as a South Texas community college with seriously talented athletes.

“Our runners here at Palo Alto can match anyone in the country at the junior college or university level,” said Jeff W. Middlebrook, Instructor of Physical Education. “Cross-country was specifically picked as an addition to our sports program because of the talent pool in our immediate area.”

There are more than several athletes here at Palo Alto. We just need to develop the talent that is here and help them move up the ranks as they continue their education.

The athletes on the team are in a unique position because they compete with other runners at the university level. Palo Alto is the only community college in the entire state of Texas that has the opportunity to do this.

“If you're thinking about joining the team, be willing to dedicate three months of your life to running. Cross-country is not an individual sport. Everyone on the team has the same goal, to finish the race,” said Steve Ferencak, a Fire Science sophomore.

“The team is like one big family, during the races we keep each other motivated and try to push ourselves to do better each time,” says Ferencak.

Suzel Gratz, Chair of the Physical Education Department, said, “Cross-country is a sport that will expose you to a diverse group of people, and the experience and the life long friends that you will gain from being a team player are irreplaceable.”

Cross-country here a Palo Alto is starting to catch on in a surprising way. With the recent success of the team in the fall semester many cross-country teammates are hoping for a real strong turn out when the season starts up again at the first of August.

For athletes to compete at the junior college level, they are required to follow the National Junior College Athletic Association (NCJAA) grade requirements (1.75 GPA for freshmen/ 2.0 for sophomores) and continue to keep a full time status (12 credit hours) for eligibility. Interested students are required to fill out medical and eligibility forms. For more information about the cross-country team, contact Dennis Ryther, Athletic Director of Intramural Sports, via e-mail: dryther@accd.edu or call 921-5234

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