Jill Harlow with Alex Cordoba – Loveland, Colorado … The first Cross Country team at Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, began as a few students has developed into a strong group of runners.

The team’s coaches Heidi Sorensen and Jennifer Sigler expressed how they were impressed by both the improvement and dedication of the students showing up at 7:15 each morning.

“Given the amount of time that we trained, our kids raced really well,” stated Sorensen. As a team, their top finish of the season was second place at a meet in Greeley, Colorado.

For the students, this season was about not only racing but also growing as athletes while building friendships along the way.

“I like training every day and pushing others and others pushing me to be better every day,” CA sophomore student, Josh Fresse, shared. “I also like that we’re really close as a team and that I could make meaningful relationships while running.”

Zach Harlow, CA sophomore student, added, “I like going to the races because it is really fun to race against other schools. Cross Country has helped me become a better and faster runner.”

CA sophomore student, Elin Sorensen, expressed a different perspective, as her mother coached the team: “It’s super cool to have my mom as my cross-country coach. I like training with the whole team. The meets are really fun, and they motivate me to keep training.”

Despite the challenges of this first season, the students commented that they were happy about how much they’ve improved throughout the season and how their hard work has helped them succeed.

Luca Lu, CA junior student, commented, “I was able to finish a distance I had never raced before, and I could feel a sense of achievement after each race.”

“My team was amazing, and I saw achievements in everyone,” concluded CA sophomore student, Israel Ortiz.

Coach Sorensen shared that they hope to encourage more students to join next year. “We are looking forward to growing the team, and hosting our own cross country meet at Campion,” Sorensen said.

“With every race you can push yourself to your limits,” Gabriel Tostes, CA freshman student, shared. “Despite all of the hard work, the pain and the challenges, in the end it will be worth it.”

—Jill Harlow with Alex Cordoba, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photo supplied.