1st Place, Sports Columnist
2021-22, Division 1-4, News Writing
By Lauren McGuirk
Focus
Midland HS
It runs in the family
Cross country. The sport where we run for fun. While you may hear us complaining about a workout or our bodies hurting, there’s a secret addiction we all have for it. In fact, we love it!
There are a few main things that make cross country special. The first is how you feel after a run. Man, that’s something different. There are many days during our runs that feel like literal death: your legs hurt, your body aches, and your mental strength is hanging on by a single thread, dangling over a cliff edge.
Then it’s over. Something else emerges.
Suddenly, you have a feeling of pride. Of success. Joy fills your soul as teammates gather together. High fives and elbow bumps all around. Smiles and words of affirmation
are exchanged. The aches fade.
The second part of running is the scientifically proven runner’s high. Depending
on an individual’s running level, after completing miles three through eight in the run, your brain releases extra endorphins from the extended period of exercise. These endorphins cause you to feel euphoric. You become deeply relaxed and mindful, experiencing extreme joy and delight. This is all while still running. It’s also reported to reduce anxiety and pain after your run.
So the more you run, the less you hurt? Somehow that’s a thing.
Cross country is truly the best sport available because of our family. Now, I know what you’re thinking, every sport says it’s like a family. I’ve played a lot of sports but they don’t come close to the cross country family. There’s a special bond between runners. It likely comes from us enduring extreme physical pain alongside one another. Every time you pass someone, or they pass you, there’s a psychological connection of encouraging each other to keep on going.
Our strong family bond is grown through cross camp. If you’ve ever been to an overnight camp, you understand the connections you can build with people over the course of a week together. Although we run at cross camp- which may not sound the most appealing- the rest is free time that we get to spend however we want; we spend that time bonding with one another. Coming in your first year you probably know roughly five people. Afterwards, you leave with 45 new friends whom you can ask questions to, talk to, and trust. You know for a fact that if something were to happen, you could ask any one of them for help and they’d have your back.
This family couldn’t be built the same at camp without the Hollenbecks, or as we know them, Mr. and Mrs. Coach. They have built our team into the group we are. Each night, Mr. Coach gathers us around the campfire. He has an agenda for what stories he’s going to tell us. Every single one is inspiring and memorable. Then we share with the team the prompt of the night, whether it be the goals, achievements, or qualities we bring to the team. We learn about each other and connect with one another as a group. Not only are Mr. and Mrs. Coach amazing, but the rest of our coaching staff is also incredible. All of them are there to support us: they always notice if we are having an off day and ask how we’re doing.
With a team of 74 people, this year’s cross country team might possibly be the largest in MHS history. Being a non-cut sport, individuals of all skill levels are welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re the fastest, winning every race, or the last person to cross the finish line. Everyone has an equal amount of opportunities to improve for themselves as well as their team. Having such a large team enables me to have a positive impact on so many people. Being so closely connected allows for a lot of character development and learning from a wide variety of individuals.
As Mr. Coach always says, “Live, learn, grow.”
Ex-student section leader
All you have to do is start chants. I’ve watched student section leaders rise to the challenge of leading a dedicated group of students trying to support their school. They make the shakers, bring the powder and the spirit stick, and show their never-ending school spirit. Except each year, as the games progress, they turn into underwhelming events, filled mostly with socialization among cliques. New people try to step up and add some excitement, but the energy never stays. I frequently thought It can’t be that hard.
As an underclassman, it is easy to sit back and watch the student section swirl into a knot of chaos or silence. I could do that better. Nearly everyone would love to be given the opportunity to hold the glamorous spot.
The harsh reality is that it sucks. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t recommend anyone take on the role. I’ve had many juniors ask me how they can become one. My response to them is, “are you sure you want that?”
Prepping for our first game at the Big House, the student section leaders made nearly 200 shakers, organized the poms, and glued together the well-loved Spirit Stick. In a new setting and position, I was stressed and confused on what to do. Our students were split into two different locations, there was nowhere to stand; and without being able to go on the field without a pass, I wasn’t able to communicate with my partners or the student section very easily. Instantly, we started receiving backlash.
During the rest of the season, I did my best to keep the energy high. However, without winning many games, it slowly became difficult to have a good time.
Quickly, respect declined. Not just for me, but for our stadium and school. Kids were showing up drunk, vaping, and smoking weed. I was hit by beans and popcorn kernels that I knew were from my shakers. It broke my heart (and my bank) to see shredded up cups lying on the ground. Students would rush the field, hopping the fence with no care of what they left behind.
Trash. Pop bottles, hot dog wrappers, shakers, and pom strands were scattered all around. Mounds of garbage piled up in the rows as I tried to consolidate everything together to be cleaned up. My only thought while trying to clean it up the next morning, with it covered in water from last night’s rain: disgusting.
I received comments from senior classmates that we should make more shakers. The only issue is the student section doesn’t have any funds. I had already spent my own money making the other shakers, and what happened to them? They were shredded, crumpled, and stomped on; beans and kernels were thrown around, which also came out of my pocket. I was not willing to donate more of my money to make shakers that I would watch be torn to pieces.
Most of my bad experiences came from the inability I had to make a difference.
Often, I would look down the front row of seniors. Time would pause for a small moment. I enjoyed seeing everyone smiling, laughing, and engaging in conversation; but it was disheartening to feel so out of place. I was too busy worrying about what my next responsibility was to sit back, enjoy the game, and strike up conversations with my friends. I was too stressed that the student section wasn’t fun for everyone and that I wasn’t doing my job to soak in my own “lasts” as a senior.
Near the end of the season, it got to the point that if things weren’t going how I wanted, my stress went through the roof. I ended up getting high levels of anxiety, even having to leave the stadium or gym, pulling a friend along the way to regroup. There finally came a point where attending some of my favorite events became a dreadful chore.
So, I quit. I was honored to have the position, but it wasn’t made for me. Now, I can spend my energy doing something I enjoy.
NW-20. Sports Columnist
Each entry must :
- have two (2) columns (feature or opinion) from different publication dates on sports-related topics
- have both columns submitted together in the same entry form
- have the same standing head
- be authored by the same writer(s) (both columns in the entry should have the same byline)
- carry bylines or other writer identification to indicate the personal nature of the content
Judging Criteria
- Sharp attention-getting lead
- Expresses personal opinion; uses consistent style; demonstrates knowledge of sports
- Reflects thought/research, freshness, individuality; avoids cliches
- Effective use of facts/quotes or supportive material
- Informative, interesting, entertaining
- Upholds journalistic integrity
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar