Cross Country Thanksgiving

Adam Flash, Backpage Editor

As my #SeniorSZN of Cross Country comes to an end and the realization of my running career being over soon starts to sink in, I’m realizing now more than ever how thankful I am for this amazing sport and team. While Cross Country might not receive the attention or a fanbase other sports do, it’s one of my personal favorite sports, and that’s largely due to the amazing teammates I have.

For a team—of any sport—to be successful, it’s important for the athletes to be friends outside of practice and to be close enough where they can stay in constant communication.  Even though the closeness of our team has led to the humorous reputation of being a cult, I love the fact I have a close group of friends I can always count on, and who have a similar love of running (and memes). Everything from the extremely active group chats, to simply talking before and after practice adds to the strong sense of a community we’ve built as a team and part of the reason I love Cross Country so much.

While arguments and drama come naturally with any team, at the end of the day, we are all working towards one common goal. While outsiders see us as a cult, actual members of the team know just how encouraging of an environment we have. Whether it be screaming for each other during races, or saying “good job” to someone you pass while completely out of breath during a workout, having supportive teammates who only want to help you be successful, is a really powerful thing.

As I graduate and move away from the Liberty community, I’m really going to miss the amazing sport of running, and my amazing teammates. But I’ll always be extremely thankful for the memories and friends I’ve made because of Cross Country.