With the start of this year’s cross-country team season bringing in a new coach, changes have already occurred to improve every- one’s performance.

“Everybody thinks they’re a sprinter,” coach Juan Rodriguez said. “I want to make the training more consistent and really let the runners be held accountable for their training.”

Students say they like the changes.

“Coach Rodriguez wants us to do more than just run to run, he wants us to win,.” senior Alyssa Rodriguez said.

Before the initial beginning of the track/cross country season even began runners were already spending most of their summer vacations striving to improve and prepare themselves as best as possible for the upcoming meets.

“I ran mostly four days a week usually around my neighborhood and some- times at Town Lake,” Alyssa Rodriguez said.

For most dedicated runners, having their eyes on making varsity is a goal worth pushing themselves for. These standards are met with hard work and self-discipline. While most strive to achieve it during their high school career, some have been working on making varsity since freshman year.

“Being in varsity means the competition is much harder and the coach pushes you more than the rest,” junior Joseph Atkinson said.

For some on the team, their senior year is their last chance to accomplish some- thing to remember. Whether it’s getting placed high at competitions, or advancing to regionals, then state, every runner has something to aim for and a solid goal to achieve.