Youth will be the defining characteristic of the Hayden Catholic High School cross country program this season.
Both the boys and girls teams are expected to rely heavily on incoming freshmen, giving coach Collin Smith an opportunity to build a program around a new group of runners.
On the girls side, the team is currently expected to be made up entirely of incoming freshmen. Smith said the group has already put in work during the summer as it prepares for its first season together.
“As of right now, our team will be entirely made up of incoming freshmen,” Smith said. “They’ve all been training hard, and we’re excited to get together soon.”
One freshman Smith is watching closely is Lillian Gros. Gros comes to Hayden with a background in swimming and is hoping to make significant progress as a runner.
“Lillian is a promising incoming freshman this year,” Smith said. “She’s a swimmer who is looking to make great strides in running as well. She’s had an eventful summer and can’t wait to see what she can do.”
The boys team also enters the season with plenty of youth after losing a large senior class. Smith said the influx of freshmen provides an opportunity to see how quickly the new runners can develop.
“We have a lot of incoming freshmen this year after losing a big senior class,” Smith said. “I’m excited to see where everyone is at to start the season!”
While the program will feature plenty of new faces, junior Nick Newkirk gives the boys a returning runner with state-level experience.
Newkirk set a personal best by nearly a minute last season and qualified for the state meet. Smith said Newkirk’s approach to improvement could make him an important piece of the team this fall.
“Heading into his junior year, Nick is looking forward to a great season,” Smith said. “Last season he set a new personal best by almost an entire minute and became a state qualifier.”
Newkirk’s focus is straightforward: continue improving from one meet to the next.
“He goes out there and does his best to run better than he did the prior meet and always looking to improve,” Smith said.
Incoming freshman Jeremy Kuhlman is another runner to watch on the boys side. Kuhlman has continued to improve throughout the summer and enters the season eager to test himself in competition.
“Jeremy is an incoming freshman who has gotten faster throughout the summer,” Smith said. “He’s excited to get the season started.”
With both teams welcoming large groups of freshmen, Hayden enters the season with plenty of uncertainty but also plenty of opportunity. For Smith, the opening meets will provide the first chance to see how the young runners’ summer preparation translates to competition.
The Bulldogs will look to establish their identity early while developing a young group that could form the foundation of the program for seasons to come.
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