After losing their top runner to an injury, the girls cross country team has been lower in their scores, but it has not affected team morale. According to Coach Michelle Breuer, senior captain Megan Gaglio has remained a strong leader for the team.

“Megan is amazing at keeping the girls together so the team sense is still there. She is keeping them excited and hasn’t stopped now that Brittney [Kennedy] is gone,” Coach Breuer said.

Coach Breuer plan is to practice hard at the beginning of the week, then back off of the intensity at practice at the end of the week, with hopes that the girls’ times will peak at their meets on the weekends.

Although the team has been practicing hard, they are frustrated because they are not getting the times that they have been training for. It is difficult for the girls because none of the cross country courses are the same.

“It’s not like football when it is the same field every week. I want them to get faster, but that doesn’t always happen because the courses are different,” Coach Breuer said. “It is just so frustrating because there is no time out in our sport. I can’t stop them and yell ‘run faster!’ It is the most mental sport out there.”

The team will be practicing five days a week during fall break in order to prepare for its conference meet on Oct. 11 at McNair Park.

“We are going to visit McNair before the meet to see how it will be for conference. We are going to start creeping back on our mileage at practice and start working on speed and mental stuff,” Coach Breuer said.