Story by Isiah Gourgue

The Cross Country season of the 2018/19 school year has started and many students are participating in this sport this year.

“During cross country practice we run road runs, around the track, around badger field, or at Northview church’s course,” Andrew Cebalo says. “Practices are usually everyday of the school week except for Friday and sometimes on Saturday.

The practices are usually an hour to an hour and a half long,” Julien Gourgue mentions. Cross country practices have been going on since the end of the summer and runners have been going to summer runs to practice for this season. They ran two days out of the week and ran for about and hour to an hour and a half just like practices.
  
Spikes are shoes used during cross country meets to help grip the grass while runners are running. Not all spikes are the same though, runnersworld.com mentions that there are spikes for distance, sprints, and field events.

“I use spikes every time I run in a meet and they help with grip on the grass so I run more smoothly,” Charlie explains. The website runnersworld.com also says spikes aren’t always going to wear like normal training shoes, some runners like having ones that are one size smaller while others like it the same size, it all depends on the runner.
   
Andrew Cebalo has been running since sixth grade and is yet to still make the school’s varsity team for cross country. He said, ”My PR (personal record) has been getting lower and lower and soon I will make varsity for sure.” Julien Gourgue also said that this season he has dropped times greatly and it’s only his first year running!

​

Story by Margaret Cannon
​
At 3:05 the last bell of the day rings. The Lady Trojans head to their lockers, fill their
backpacks, grab their volleyball bags and head down to the gym. Expected to be ready by 3:25,
they'll have to hustle to get ready, set up nets and grab the volleyballs.

Coach Giles and coach Far also have to do their part as well. Both teachers have to head down to the gym, and get ready to coach another tough practice. As both 7th and 8th graders have never been coached by either coach Giles and Far, none of the girls knew what to expect coming in. It seems like
everything has changed for trojan volleyball since last year. New coaches, players and a new “theme” to focus on. Coaches and players have said that the “theme” for this season is about being a team on and off the court. Always being supportive and encouraging each other to to their best.

Eighth grade player Carly Christy said, “My knowledge of the game has changed since the beginning of the season. I have learned to play smarter, not harder.” Christy goes on to say, “We have been focused on conditioning a lot, and we get stronger each practice. Each practice helps us prepare for games, and each games helps us prepare for the Hamilton County Tournament at the end of the season.”

The lady trojans have added 3 new players to the team this year and they seem to be adjusting to the
competitive environment well.

Another eighth grade player Darcy Davis said, “So far we need to focus on our serve receive. Based on our previous games you can tell we are not as strong in that area.” Davis goes on to say, “When we prepare for county, we need to have a strongmental and physical toughness. Practices will be more difficult and conditioning will be harder. Based on our record last year, many teams will be out for revenge during the tournament”.

The Lady Trojans will continue to work hard in practice, and grow their knowledge of the game
everyday.

Story by Jamie Elliott

"Go, go, go!" coaches shouted as student athletes were about to cross the finish line. Have you ever wondered how cross country runners prepared for their meets? Let's back up 30 minutes and find out.

Cara Naas, seventh grade, Thomas Biltimier, seventh grade, and Greta Heyl, eighth grade, are varsity cross country runners.

​Practice is a big part of preparing for a race.

"We'll run three to four miles and it helps me build up endurance," said runner Greta Heyl.

Cross country has one and a half hour practices Monday through Thursday, and sometimes Saturday as well.

According to coach Jeff Carter, practice is useful, but it is also good to run outside of school.

Biltimier said he runs about three times a week (outside of practice) for extra conditioning.

Being prepared physically is important, and another way to be prepared is to stretch.  All the runners take time to stretch during practice, as well as during a meet.

Naas said that stretches are helpful because they get your blood running, and they get you loose before the race. You won't be as tight while running in a meet if you stretch before you start.

The runners emphasized that along with stretching, it's important to drink water throughout the day of a meet.  

Your running performance can be negatively affected by dehydration, slowing down your ability to recover from competition and be ready for the next day's workout.

Biltimier said he drinks water all day long so that he is hydrated and doesn't get overheated.

Drinking water matters just as much as what you eat before a race does, but eating can be based on your personal experiences and likings.

Naas usually eats crackers or a sandwich, while Greta Heyl usually eats something light like pretzels. However, Thomas Biltimier said he eats, "a banana so I don't get cramps."

These are all things that cross country runners do so that they can be fully prepared before, during, and after a meet.

Story by Julien Gourgue

Summer can be a relaxing break away from school, but when you have to go back, it can be exciting or scary -- especially for new students.

“I was kind of nervous about the first day of school because my locker and my binder were unorganized, so I didn’t know what to do and my classes were very far apart," Jackson Bui, sixth grade, said. 

Lena Orahood, sixth grade, said that she was anxious about the first day of school because of all the classes, the people, and the teachers.

After a month, Orahood is getting used to school. “I think I’ve kind of mapped out the school in my head as much as I need to right now so that definitely helps on getting to class on time,” she said. 

“At first I was scared and stuff, like about my locker, but then I figured out everything and it went really well," Nava Navarete, sixth grade, said. Isabelle Simmons, sixth grade, said she's adjusting, but it's starting to become more fun. 

"I made some new friends," she also said. 

Some sixth graders are already in sports which is a good way to start off the school year and to be involved in something.

Bui, Luke Ross, Amory Spence, and Orahood all joined the Cross Country team this year. “I’m feeling really comfortable about the sport so far, especially since the coaches are very nice, and I’ve made some new friends," Spence said. 

Romic Cansino, seventh grade, returned to Clay Middle School and said, “I feel that I stay organized in school by remembering my classes and having a daily routine. This has helped me stay even more focused in class.”

Isiaah Gourgue, eighth grade, isn’t a rookie either. This will be his second year at Clay. “I feel better this year about the school than what I felt last year because I have adjusted even more," he said.