Upload a Photo Upload a Video Add a News article Write a Blog Add a Comment
Blog Feed News Feed Video Feed All Feeds

Folders

Featured (975)
News (0)
Roads (23)
All (1183)
 

 

Boise Using Nike Cross Virtual As 'Motivation' During Unusual Season

Published by
DyeStat.com   Oct 10th 2020, 4:49pm
Comments

Boise Girls Making Most Of A Modified Season

By Marlowe Hereford for DyeStat/Photos Courtesy Michele Carney

Any other year, the Boise Senior High girls cross country team would have competed in five meets by now, including the annual Nike Portland XC in neighboring Oregon and the Bob Firman Invitational 25 minutes away at Eagle Island State Park.

But this is 2020, and while high school sports are a go in Idaho this fall, COVID-19 restrictions are in place that vary by school district. Boise has competed in two meets so far both dual meets and has only been meeting for full practices since late September. The first three weeks of the season, practices were broken up into groups of 10 runners with one coach instructing each group. Prior to that, Boise School District did not allow sports teams to have organized practices over the summer.

Poor air quality from wildfire smoke threw another wrench into the picture, forcing Boise's practices indoors for four days the week after their first meet. Additionally, the classroom instruction has thus far been entirely virtual.

"This has by far been the hardest year of my coaching career," Boise cross country coach Aaron Olswanger said. "I only see them 90 minutes a day. We still stagger practices. We've kept the small groups intact in case we have an outbreak. We finished our first meet and we're like, 'I hope we race two weeks later.' We know based on our experience from track season we could get shut down at any moment."

Even under these circumstances, the Boise girls have gotten off to an impressive start to Nike Cross Virtual. Almost two years after placing 10th at NXN, the Brave (competing virtually as Run Brave XC) have posted the best girls performances in the nation thus far for Nike Cross Virtual, a score of 34 during Week One and 78 on Week Two

Olswanger said it took some time to get familiar with all the steps involved to participate in Nike Cross Virtual, but it has added some fun during an unusual season.

"We're only racing three times before districts," Olswanger said. "I just thought it would be a fun opportunity, to see how we're doing on a national scale. It will give them motivation."

Contributing to Boise's success are two freshmen who made the top 10 list of fastest girls times during the first two weeks of Nike Cross Virtual, Samantha Smith and Allie Bruce, who ran the Nos. 3 and 4 times during Week One. They are also members of the Boise girls soccer team.

Junior Jamie Hamlin, a state cross country medalist and one of the youngest members of Boise's 2018 NXN qualifying team, said the Brave knew what was coming once Smith and Bruce reached high school.

"Last year, our team went to watch a couple of the junior high meets," Hamlin said. "We knew they were gonna be strong competitors and really great additions to our team."

Olswanger gave much credit to Boise girls soccer coach Nicole Arsenault for being understanding and supportive of Smith and Bruce competing in both sports simultaneously.  

The girls soccer and cross country teams share eight girls this fall, and Smith and Bruce are no strangers to the balancing act having grown up competing in both sports.

"Those two are going to have a very bright future in soccer, cross country and track," Olswanger said. "They're great training partners, those two freshmen with (senior) Rosina (Machu). They just have another gear with their focus." 

During a season modified by COVID-19, Olswanger said the Brave and other Ada County teams have had to get creative with practices and meets. As reported Oct. 9 by the Idaho Statesman, Ada County has 12,749 total COVID-19 cases and Boise School District does not intend to return to five-day-a-week in-person learning until second semester. As for sports, Boise School District teams are not permitted to compete against anyone from other school districts until the 5A District 3 championship meet Oct. 23 at Eagle Island State Park.

This means Oct. 23 will be the first time the Brave will compete against their neighbors in the West Ada School District, such as Mountain View and Eagle, which are also located in Ada County. Sites and sizes of meets have changed as a result due to local COVID capacity rules, and some parks are not allowing large meets.

Olswanger said fewer and smaller meets have also made college recruiting challenging for his seniors.

He commended his runners, however, for continuing to train throughout the spring and summer after track season was canceled and his upperclassmen for embracing leadership roles.

"The same group of kids has been running together since March," he said. "It was great to see how the kids were coming in off the summer. We're working on physical fitness a little more (with fewer meets). The kids have been using running as an outlet."

Hamlin, who started running in seventh grade, has found this to be true. She said running has provided consistency during an uncertain 2020.

"It's just nice to be able to do something consistent that I know I can keep doing even when everything else around is just changing so quickly," Hamlin said. "I've started to enjoy running even more than I already have."

One of the biggest targets for the two-time defending 5A state champion Boise girls is the state meet later this month at Eagle Island State Park, but that will look much different as well. Per the park's 250-person maximum, no spectators will be allowed and the meet will be held across two days.

A historic season two years ago brought about nerves and stress that came with being one of the best teams in the country. While 2020 has produced its own sources of stress and new normals like mask-wearing and screening questions before practices, Hamlin said it has also brought perspective.

"A couple of years ago, we had a lot of big meets and I think that was an exciting opportunity for our team, but it was also kind of nerve-wracking with the pressure that came with it," Hamlin said. "This year, we've just been excited to be able to compete. I think the coaches and athletes have done a great job of adjusting and adapting to all the changes that have been made. I'm really thankful I get the opportunity to compete with such a great group of girls."



More news

History for DyeStat.com
YearVideosNewsPhotosBlogs
2024 1091 357 13762  
2023 5382 1361 77508  
2022 4892 1212 58684  
Show 25 more
 
+PLUS highlights
+PLUS coverage
Live Events
Get +PLUS!