Cross Country Rocks!

Cross Country isn’t just running-it’s a unique opportunity for Lower School and Junior High (LS/JH) students to experience personal growth, teamwork and friendship. The sport is unique in that it provides a combination of individual growth within a team setting.

SAA-SDS Athletic Director Matt Nelson explained, “Our LS/JH students who run cross country experience numerous benefits for their physical, mental, and social development. It is a sport that requires no special equipment and is highly accessible for most students. Everyone has an opportunity to experience success because you are racing against yourself as well as your competition.”

For SAA-SDS LS/JH coach Richard Murphy, the key to improvement in the sport lies in cultivating positive habits. He shared, “I focus on enhancing habits in four key areas: 1) becoming a better human being by learning and promoting positive qualities in others, 2) improving academic performance by studying exercise and nutritional science, as well as the culture of running, 3) enhancing overall physical fitness, and 4) becoming a better runner through positive racing experiences and technical development.

Coach Murphy recently initiated a program he calls Cross Country Rocks to show support for his team members. He explained, “Running can be challenging, so it’s crucial to have many positive experiences to counteract the struggles you face during workouts. I want runners to know that their daily efforts are noticed and will have a lasting impact.

The purpose of the Running Rock Stars of the week is to spotlight the effort that may go unnoticed in the daily grind of practice and meets. I want to emphasize encouragement, leadership, and consistency.” Each Running Rock Star receives a painted rock to commemorate the accomplishment.

The first two runners recognized as Running Rock Stars were Eva Philip (SAA 5) and AJ Ongsingco (SDS 8). Eva was recognized for steadily growing with the team, being a hard worker, and going beyond expectations. AJ was recognized for being a dedicated team member, being a respected leader on the team, and being an encouraging teammate.

Coach Murphy shared, “Eva leads with quiet determination. No matter how tough the workout, she puts her head down and gets the work done—often going above what’s asked. Her example lifts those around her.” And “Since joining three seasons ago, AJ has pushed himself to new levels of performance. His work ethic and positive attitude set the tone for the rest of the team.”

We talked with Eva and AJ, and what they had to say truly reflected the culture of the team. Eva Told us that being a member of team “is fun, but also really good for helping with stress.” She also shared, “I have learned a lot from my coach and my teammates about running tips. Also, my dad is a big influence on me, because he used to run.”

AJ told us that the cross country team is a “very friendly environment.” And, from his experience, “It doesn’t always have to be all about you. There is an independent part, but you still get help and support from other people.”

Our eleven-member team kicks off competition next week with grades 3-5 running on Monday and grades 6-8 running Tuesday. Go Stars! Go Suns!