Athletics

By Skyler Schick ‘27 in Fall 2024

Many athletes will tell you the hardest part of their sport is how much they had to run. But in cross country, all you do is run for miles. MA’s Girls Cross Country team had 19 runners for the 2024 fall season and came in 4th at the championship meet. The team emphasizes a positive and encouraging culture and values forming connections between runners. Coach Moriah says, "Running with the team is my favorite part of the day, getting outside and getting to know students” The team allows runners to bond and enjoy the outdoors with people they don’t necessarily spend time with outside of practice. The team has implemented an inclusive tradition: for the first quarter mile of every practice, an underclassman runs with an upperclassman to help create cross-grade relationships. Unfortunately, races for MA’s team usually take place during school hours and/or far from school, and many spectators get lost watching the long races. As a result, many have not experienced the sport and don’t appreciate it. Being on the team, I experienced how hard the sport truly is and how powerful the team aspect of cross country can be. Teammates help you push through both physical and mental pain to keep running. Running is unique to other sports in that it is a lifelong skill and hobby. Cross country is a sport worth trying, as it teaches you skills that can be used and applied not only to running but all aspects of one’s life. The sport teaches the importance of perseverance and patience. It can take time to see improvement, but it can be very rewarding if you keep working hard to get better.