…So goes the last lines of Robert Frost’s poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and yet, in looking back on the 2024 Woodbridge High Cross Country season as we celebrated a Fall season, success was everywhere thanks to…

Athletes working through adversity outside of the running circle

Amazing support from parents to athletes and the coaches

Pulling together through adversity when encountered in the running circle

Conferring and communicating from coaches, to team, to athlete, to to parent, back to athlete

Support of school admin and athletic admin

Support of an outstanding maintenance crew that offered even more support

Finding individual athlete’s interest and amplifying them…

…individual athletes went mile and miles and kept going- an amazing, successful season and things just clicked. The realization that you do not have to be the #1 team to be a successful team is a gradual one. Yes, everyone strives to be #1 and we always strive to be improve, and wow-

DID the WHS Cross Country team improve this year – both boys and girls came back and made their mark and simply would not go down as being successful if they had not pushed and leaned on each other, and everyone improved drastically, that is heavy improvement for XC and then some.

There are so many misnomers and misconceptions about what Cross Country is – and unless you are participant and involved day to day, you really will not know the power and potential being a Cross Country runner has and demands from you – and this realization all came out at our banquet. Being able to take in everyone’s celebration moments at the Harrington Ice Rink, having the support of China Wok, Hungry Howie’s, amazing parents, and some exciting developments in future runners, and seeing the XC team support each other, you realize the power of XC and how it can motivate each other as well as coaches.

From having a team GPA of 86% average, to being much more competitive in in the boys and girls teams on a state level this year, to EVERY SINGLE PERSON dropping their times significantly from the beginning of the season, it is an understatement to say I have been blessed as a coach.

The 2024 XC Banquet at Harrington Ice Rink was awesome- in celebrating so many success stories this year- making the 2024 year one of many reasons this year was one of the best when it came to motivating, being motivated, and looking forward to a brighter future for WHS XC 🙂 (And getting some ice time seemed to fit into the holiday theme before Christmas).