The Andes Central cross-country team will kick off their season on Tuesday, September 3rd in Gregory. Beth Harrington returns as Head Coach for the second year.

This year’s team is relatively young with only three high school students participating. Lone senior, Nadia VanZuidam is joined by junior and sophomore, Luke Dangel and Eilie DeHaan respectively. Seventh graders: LaTia DeLange, Aspen Niewenhuis, Camela Gravatt, Scarlett Cole, and James Derry; and sixth grader, Steven Brooks, round out the team.

One of last season’s highlights was having Eilie DeHaan who was then a freshmen qualify for the state cross-country meet, finishing 57th with a time of 22 minutes and 26 and 51/100ths seconds. This year’s goal is for everyone to improve on their individual times.

Leadership for the team will come from high schoolers, Eilie DeHaan and Luke Dangel as well as seventh graders, LaTia DeLange and Aspen Niewenhuis. One of the most challenging meets of this season will be Bon Homme, because of the runners’ course.

Harrington wants to see each individual team member set and achieve their personal goals. Her coaching philosophy involves daily hard work in practice, setting individual goals, encouraging her runners to obtain their goal, and trying to help keep the athletes mentally and physically healthy throughout the season.

Good luck this season, runners!