November 22, 2015 by Skyler Stanford
As of now, the Saratoga Springs cross country team is nationally ranked 3rd in the country. For the coaches, Mr. and Mrs. Kranick, winning is nothing new; “Our girls have been nationally ranked every year since 1989, we’ve been in the top ten for 25 years” Mrs. Kranick says proudly.
The girls make it clear that these victories were not easily achieved. Amelia Mahoney says “we put in a lot of hours…and we work really hard”. Anyone in or around the school between 3pm and 6pm would know this to be true. The girls are always out there running in rain, snow, and sun with one goal in mind: to maintain, condition, and improve their skill. They aren’t just running either; inside they do a series of warmups as well as work in the weight room building their arms, abs, and leg strength. Everyday there is a sheet posted with a list of warmups the girls have to do before their run. The varsity cross country girls sometimes run up to 5-10 miles a day while Junior varsity runs up to 5 miles depending on whether it a work out day, a pre-meet day, or a normal practice day. The girls are always up for the challenge and do so without complaint.
Of the girls interviewed, they all attributed a lot of the team’s success to the coaches. Peyton Engborg said “the coaches have a lot of experience, they push us, and help us do our best”. There is something to be said for the amount of time and dedication that the coaches have put into the team. It is clear to all of the girls that they really do care about each member of the team and want them to reach their full potential. The Kranick’s are willing to work with anyone who is willing to put in the time and effort it takes to improve their skills. They show their appreciation to the team’s hard work through little things like buying Cliff Bars so the girls have something to eat at meets and during practice. They also through a Track prom where the girls can dress up and have a good time with their teammates. “It’s really fun,” Samantha Vetter says, “and it gives the team more time to bond”.
The cross country team’s success can be attributed to all these things and through their continued dedication and commitment the team will have no problem staying in top 10 in the country for many years to come.
Engporg?