Not having captains, how do your leaders emerge?
Coach Zimmerman: Well everyone is “mentored” to lead… and the longer you’re in the program, the stronger and broader your leadership capabilities become. Not all are wired to lead the same way… Yet, all are wired to lead in some way. Also, they all understand ‘serving.’ When you make sacrifices and serve each other, that really makes an impact on the person being served. From seniors to freshmen, they’re all into the “core” of what we are trying to do.
What responsibilities do the veterans carry on the team?
Coach: “Learning Curve meetings”… things that veteran’s know (normally found out the hard way and they share insights with those who are new).
Do they have in-race responsibilities?
Coach: They have responsibilities in the process of preparing to race at a meet.
What do you most want to see the team improve on from last season?
Coach: Last season was super. Just try to be inclusive with the new athletes… and overall just to do a little better then last year.
If you could accomplish __ you would consider the season a success?
Coach: If the team hits their team-written goals. If we represent the University as well as we can.
How does God fit into the team?
Coach: God brought us all together at this time and in this place for a reason. Let’s just be awesome stewards of what He has brought together. Do this as a team.
How do you earn respect as leaders?
Senior Kelsey Gasner: We have mutual respect. If someone is stepping up and being a leader in the moment, everyone respects that.
Senior Sarah Brooks: We started off as a family, those walls were taken down and [the new students] knew they were team members immediately.
Senior Evan Thibodeau: Respect is difficult to earn and easy to lose. The main
thing I work at is respecting my teammates and demonstrating that no matter what happens, I care about them as runners and as men of God.
Senior Carter Williams: I think a big way to earn respect on the team is by having the right attitude and a fresh outlook at everything that is presented before me. This means having the right attitude for running and towards our coaches, teammates, school, and God.
How important is your in-race performance to your leadership?
Gasner: Coach sets the tone for what he expects each race. We have to run hard and, even more importantly, practice being a team.
Junior Nychele Fischetti: We have to be focused now so when the tough races come, everyone will be ready.
Thibodeau: I don’t think that the time I run is most important, but rather the effort I put in.
Williams: If I am not working hard, or cutting practices, I can’t expect any more from my teammates. It is about giving it our all so that our team does better as a whole.
What responsibilities do you put on yourselves as veterans?
Brooks: Talk about the little things we try to do. Being responsible as a team player, and coming prepared to work hard with my team.
Gasner: Making the new teammates feel like they are part of the team… and reminding them that God is ultimately the focus.
Thibodeau: The main responsibility I place on myself is being a good example. I must always be diligent to do my best.
Williams: A cross country season is long and difficult–– I definitely feel it is a responsibility of mine to keep people motivated.
How does God fit into the team?
Fischetti: For warmups, we break off into groups and a lot of times talk about deeper stuff, what we are going through.
Brooks: Team devotionals are also an important part of bringing the team together.
Gasner: We pray before and after each workout. This morning, we had a team devotional before practice, which really felt good, sitting in a big circle where you can see everyone.
Thibodeau: We bring God into the team with prayer before runs, and devotions at various times during the season. We also seek to exemplify Christian community by really loving and caring for one another.
Williams: Everyone of these guys have their hearts in the right place. We don’t want to waste a talent, or a gift, or even an opportunity that God has given us.
If you could accomplish _, you would consider it a successful season?
Gasner: We talked about a lot of goals. We remember from when we weren’t as highly ranked, seeing the top teams mainly befriend each other. We want to treat all the teams as equals and try to make friends with everyone.
Brooks: To be good stewards of the place we have.
Thibodeau: If we can finish the season without any serious injuries, racing with no regrets, and drawing closer to our teammates as we seek to draw closer to Christ, I will consider it a very successful season.
Williams: We definitely want to make it to nationals this year.
Fischetti: We have some pretty high hopes. It’s not a far off goal to… I don’t even want to say it.
