The 3A girls race which saw Columbus make it onto the podium in 4th place
Path to the Podium: Columbus Girls
By Andy Christie
Everyone sees the smiling faces when a team is up on the podium at State, but not everyone sees what it took to get there. In this article, we find out from Coach Danielle McCoy what it took for the Columbus girls to finish in 4th place in Class 3A.
XC 2021
Any seniors that set a good example or laid the foundation?
The seniors message to the underclassmen was to have fun and to be dedicated
Any results that gave motivation (good or bad)
At state we finished 5th; this was motivating because everyone that competed at state was returning. I knew that our future was bright!
Winter 2021
Anyone that stepped up their training with XC already in mind
Some of the runners added weight training to their schedule to get stronger for the upcoming season while some registered for running camps.
Mindset of the non-seniors
They were really excited for the upcoming season!
Track 2022
Anyone that was already expected to contribute, but still had a good season
Three xc girls that competed at state also run track (Layla Albright, Mya Thomas, and Charlotte Young). Two of them also competed at State for track (Layla - 3200, 800, 4x8 & Mya - 4x8). These runners were expected to contribute and had good seasons respectively.
Summer 2022
Any new additions that changed the outlook for XC
Over the summer we had a transfer student (Alyna Gilbert) and freshman (Gabby Ware) that came out that changed the outlook for the upcoming season.
Early goals for the season
Stay healthy and build a positive team environment
How the team handled summer training
summer training was handled well, everyone came in with the mindset to excel at State
Any setbacks/challenges that had to be overcome?
The biggest challenge with summer training was getting everyone there with family vacations and academic obligations
Season 2022
Anyone that had a breakout season that changed the outlook
No, everyone competed to and exceeded my expectations
How early results compared to any goals
The early results showed that this team is special with great things to come!
Any setbacks/challenges that had to be overcome?
Injuries and illness were definitely a setback for us this season
In hindsight, key moments of the season that led to the State result
I think the key moment for the season was the support that the team had for each other. When a runner was injured their teammates rallied around them. Even when they weren't able to compete/practice an injured runner would still come to practice/meets to support their teammates and the encouragement was felt from everyone.