Path to the Podium-Johns Creek Girls
Everyone sees the picture of a team on the podium, with huge smiles and the trophy in hand. What people don't see is the behind the scenes events that led to a spectacular achievement. In this article, Johns Creek coach Morgan Eurek describes what it took for his girls to earn the 4th place trophy in Class AAAAA.
XC 2023
· Any seniors that set a good example or laid the foundation?
We only had one senior that was on the varsity squad last year and that was Reagan Forkey. She is an athlete who always expected great things from herself and had to learn to slow down actually. Her background was an elite gymnast so she would usually push herself beyond her means and would become injured early on in seasons. But her senior year, she decided to slow down and trust the process. Her work ethic, in combination of her leadership with a very young girls team, established a phenomenal culture. When asking her about her process in leadership she said, "I just tried building a culture of resiliency and that hard work can be fun because it is the culture I wish the upperclassmen had down with me when I was a freshman/sophomore."
· Any results that gave motivation (good or bad)
We made it back to state for the first time since 2020 where they placed 7th. It was great to see them back there and especially with a team that contained only 2 seniors in the top 12.
Winter 2023
· Anyone that stepped up their training with XC already in mind
Coming off a great season, XC wasn't the main focus with the girls. For the younger ones, they wanted to get better on the track. Reagan had her goals of wanting to run collegiately.
· Mindset of the non-seniors
Mindset of the non-seniors was to trust the process and try to be better day after day and build the program up. They have heard what it meant to be a JCXC runner, they saw the trophies in the case and wanted to be back there - to be seen as a team that when they got to the line, other teams would have to worry.
· Any setbacks/challenges that had to be overcome?
The major setback after the season was losing 4 out of our top 8 girls for the track season. 2 of them to other spring sports, and the other two due to injury/illness that kept them from competing in track.
Track 2024
· Anyone that was already expected to contribute, but still had a good season
Track season is what really solidified this girls team into the force they are today, the girls learned that they can do hard things, they can become resilient and the result is they got faster. The entire girls squad from top to bottom would PR in every event that tried as well as not a single injury happening during the season. They were trusting the process.
· Any setbacks/challenges that had to be overcome?
The two major setbacks for these girls was losing 3 girls for the next season. The two girls who were unable to run track decided they were not going to run XC at all - they were projected to be our #1 and #2 girls next season. The other major challenge was Reagan Forkey graduating. She achieved her goal of running collegiate at University of Delaware. But she was a strong leader of this team and now she had to trust the girls were going to go on to do great things. She said, "It was up to the girls to continue the culture we created."
Summer 2024
· Any new additions that changed the outlook for XC
Not a new addition but a welcomed surprise - Ava Reames. I was traveling most of the summer so Danny Brock was in charge of implementing my summer plans. He would text me updates and seeing Ava's name was the most surprising but a welcomed surprise.
· Early goals for the season
Early goals were to compete as a unit and keep the spread as tight as possible. The other major goal, find a way to make it back to state.
· How the team handled summer training
They took the culture that was built and then pushed it to new heights, training harder while also trusting the process to avoid injury and fatigue.
· Any setbacks/challenges that had to be overcome?
Only setbacks were learning to realign the team after losing 3 important girls and gaining two back from spring sports.
Season 2024
· Anyone that had a breakout season that changed the outlook
Ava Reames had the breakout season, which was not a surprise after hearing about her summer. But if you look at any MileSplit GA most improved list, she will always be #1. From last season to this season, she dropped close to 13 minutes total.
· How early results compared to any goals
Early results were phenomenal - going 3 straight meets of getting first, beating great teams like Alpharetta, Milton, Jackson County, South Forsyth, and Chattahoochee.
· Any revisions of goals?
Revisions of the goals weren't just make it to state, it was now, make it and do better than 7th.
· Any setbacks/challenges that had to be overcome?
The only major setback was right before Sectionals, our, at the time, number one girl ended up getting Achilles Tendinitis and a hot spot, so we had to make it through sectionals without her. Our girls showed up to the occasion and made it out placing 8th of 12. That would then rank us 9th going into the state meet. Our goal of getting better than 7th was still alive but we had to hope our number 1 would be cleared. She ended up cleared by a doctor 2 days before the race.
· In hindsight, key moments of the season that led to the State result
In hindsight, the early successes of winning allowed the girls to have the confidence to know they can compete with the best. Personally, the best result of the season was taking first place on a challenging Milton course which made me feel like we could compete at a high level on the State Course. But also, this girls team is very welcoming and supportive of one another. I have coached a lot of girls teams and this environment that has been built is supportive of internal competition to become better as a unit rather than girls being scared of passing each other in fear that others would be upset/mad. These girls genuinely care, love, and trust for one another is what has really led to the success of this team.