PCA Cross Country Team Hits the Ground Running

Pinewood Christian Academy’s cross country team is making a name for itself among the established athletic teams at the school. The cross country’s last meet at George L Smith was a huge success. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams got second overall for their runs. Rachel Jarriel won first overall, Emily Griffin won second overall, and Lauren Dreggors placed seventh overall in their race. For the boys, Brantley Swindell and William Collins both ranked in the top ten overall runners.

Cross country is a relatively new sport for Pinewood coached by Mrs. Paula Johns and is currently in its second year as a Pinewood activity. The team consists of 16 people who practice daily and travel to cross country meets with other schools. The participants are doing well for having only minimal experience in cross country; they have averaged in the top half of all the running teams for both girls and boys. Most often they compete against schools who have had cross country for many years.

Mrs. Johns is a skilled coach who understands that cross country is not just about speed, and in turn, the cross country team practices both running and core building workouts. Their running course is mapped out around the school since they need practice with varying elevations and surfaces. Some days, they run up bleachers on the football field; other days they do crunches and sit- ups. Being part of the cross country team requires hard work and full commitment, but the results show that it is paying off for the team.

This recently established cross country team might still be in its fledgling stages, but the team is pushing itself and winning with the same Patriot spirit given to all sports on campus. The hope is that the cross country team will continue to grow and achieve recognition and support as part of PCA’s athletic program.

By Miranda DeLoach