The cross country team started one more season waking up early looking for great results.
With the leadership of senior Logan Lyles and junior Hannah Howard, the team finished 27th at the Memphis Twilight Classic Sept. 13.
“We placed seventh in the conference meet last year,” head coach Mike McGhee said. “I would like to see them get in the top five and have at least two of our veterans place in the top 10. Logan Lyles and Hannah Howard are more than capable.”
Freshman Monica Davis agrees with her head coach about the importance of the veteran girls on the team.
“I am new to the team, but one thing I know is that there are amazing upperclassmen girls that lead the team each practice and push the rest of us,” Davis said. “With each practice we are gaining more endurance and confidence, so I think that as a team we will continue to get better throughout the season.”
The routine of the cross country team is not easy with daily exhaustive practices. However, members of the team find time to do other school activities and sometimes to practice other sports. McGhee is also the head coach of the softball team, and Davis divides her time among school, cross country and softball.
“I could not get it all done if it was not for finding quality people to help,” McGhee said. “Devin Lyles has come on board and taken the ball and run with it. Devin is the new husband of the former Logan Whitlow and our top senior runner, and this has helped a bunch.”
According to Davis, it is exhausting having to practice for both sports each day, and the key aspect to succeed is to find a better way of managing time.
“I am the type of person who thrives off being active, so I would much rather be busy doing activities than sitting in my room bored,” Davis said.
The Lady Tigers practice every day at 6 a.m. with goals and objectives defined. However their main reason for the sacrifices is a forgotten word in sport: passion.
“These girls that have been working out every day at 6 a.m., do this sport because they love it,” Davis said. “It makes waking up really early and running miles and miles every day a little bit easier when you are with girls that have a love and passion for the sport.”
The Lady Tigers return to action on Sept. 20 at the Southern Arkansas Mulerider Invitational in Magnolia, Ark.
