Cross Country Strives For Individual, Team Improvement in 2013
WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia women's cross country team may be made up primarily of sprinters and jumpers rather than distance runners, but according to head coach Alton McKenzie, that does not mean the Firebirds cannot be successful this fall.
"We're looking to get as many personal bests over the 5K distance for the entire team and to finish higher than we did at the East Coast Conference Cross Country Championships in 2012," head coach Alton McKenzie said.
The Firebirds, who placed 8th of 9 teams at last year's ECC Cross Country Championship but 1st at the inaugural ECC Indoor Track & Field Championships and 2nd at the Outdoor Track & Field Championships, have learned to embrace what endurance work and a strong cross country season can offer in the long run, according to McKenzie.
"This is a group that has a lot of heart, and they will compete and challenge themselves to have personal bests, which is all I can ask for," McKenzie said. "The value of what this brings when we head into the Indoor and Outdoor track seasons seems far away, but with all the returnees we have here at UDC, it's not hard to show the evidence of what cross country can offer."
McKenzie's 2013 cross country squad features 10 returning athletes – all of whom, he expects to show growth and maturity.
"Overall, everyone has a part to play in ensuring they compete as a team. We must value the contribution of all our runners in cross country – everyone matters," McKenzie said.
That said, McKenzie is expecting sophomore Simone Grant (Health Education – Bronx, NY/Pelham Prep Academy) and juniors Rochelle Nelson (Mass Media – Kingston, Jamaica/Holmwood Tech HS) and Kimoy Mais (Mass Media – St. Andrew, Jamaica/St. Andrew HS) to lead the group this year.
"Simone was very consistent last year, and I expect her to do well again this year," McKenzie said. "Rochelle was one of our top performers last year even though she had a shortened cross country season due to injuries, so I'm hoping she continues to improve this year. I'm also expecting Kimoy to step up this year now that she's a junior and has some valuable experience under her belt."
Two incoming freshmen, Kay-Tiarra Johnson (Psychology – Hempstead, NY/Hempstead HS) and Charmaine Sweeney (Compuer Science – Landover, MD/Largo HS) have joined the team as well. McKenzie said both have talent and a lot of promise.
"I'm excited to see what our freshmen can offer. Kay-Tiarra is my first true middle-distance runner, so I'm looking forward to seeing what she can do in cross country. I expect her to be right up front and be a valuable scorer for us this fall," McKenzie said. "Charmaine will also gain valuable experience being around the other great quarter-milers we have on our team, and I expect her to embrace the value of running cross country and compete to the best of her abilities."
McKenzie also stressed that with the cross country season serving as preparation for the winter and spring, the number one priority is keeping the runners healthy.
"I'm really looking forward to another great season this fall. Cross Country certainly plays a key role in our preparation for what we feel will be another very successful year," McKenzie said.
The Firebirds open the 2013 cross country season on Saturday, September 7th at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's Lid Lifter 5K event.