FREMONT – There is going to be a certain amount of learning on the run for the Ross girls cross country team.
The last of the Ross fall sports to start finally gets underway Saturday morning when the cross country teams host the Norm Bray Invitational.
For the Lady Giants, comprised nearly entirely of underclassmen, Saturday’s meet brings with it a large collection of nerves as they face the unknown.
“A couple of the younger ones, who’ve never run cross country, their goal is ‘I don’t want to be last’ and they won’t be: They don’t realize how good they can be,” said coach John Elder. “Even the ones who ran in middle school, have to run that extra mile. …It’s new territory for them.”
Though she is just a sophomore, on a team as young as the girls’ squad, MeKela Elder passes as a veteran, having reached the state meet a year ago. John Elder (no relation) has high goals for his top female runner.
“She thinks she’s out of shape, but, of course you’re not in your best shape, we don’t want you in your best shape anyway, we just want you to be solid right now,” Joh Elder said.
The boys, while an older group, have their unknowns as well. Senior Matt Kuyken and sophomore Ethan McClory are penciled in as Nos. 1 and 2 runners but who will help team in team scoring, remains to be seen.
“After Matt we have a strong No. 2 but kind of an unknown about what comes after because we have two seniors we have to replace.”
The Norm Bray Invitational, named after the longtime cross country and track and field coach who taught and coached at Ross High School as well as at St. Joseph Central Catholic, is set to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday with the Division III girls race.
“Just a really good guy,” Elder said of Bray.
“I tell our kids, Norm Bray was an actual person and people who are my age, when they were in high school, he was still teaching and coaching in the 70s and early 80s.”
The Division I girls race, which includes Ross, is set for 9:45, followed by the Division III boys. The Little Giants and the rest of the Division I boys are scheduled to begin around 11:15.