Sam Wynn is the top returning male runner for Coupeville High School cross country. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
Alana Mihill (center) and Catherine Lhamon are back to pace an expanding girls team.
Step by step, the program is coming back.
Coupeville High School jumped back into cross country last season, after a two-decade absence, and found some immediate success.
Now, with a new coach on hand, the Wolves want to keep building numbers, while preparing their harriers to run far into the postseason.
Luke Samford, who spent the previous seven years coaching cross country and track at the college level, replaces Natasha Bamberger, who stepped down to focus on her real-world job.
The new Wolf head man immediately jumped into things, and has a good mix of returning runners and newcomers.
Juniors Sam Wynn and Catherine Lhamon and sophomore Alana Mihill top the letter winners, while three freshmen have already made their presence felt.
“Right now, on the men’s side, Mitchell Hall has been looking really good at the first few practices,” Samford said. “It is evident he put in some miles over the summer, and it shows.
“On the women’s side, our two freshmen girls, Claire (Mayne) and Helen (Strelow), have both been finding their strengths!,” he added. “I’m really pleased with their attitudes and work ethic. They are going to be good running partners for the future, too.”
The biggest challenge for the Wolves will be to grow, both as individual runners and as a unit.
“We are a young team!,” Samford said. “There’s not a lot of racing experience in the upperclassmen either, since the program is so new.”
Putting in the miles should pay off down the road, however.
“Cross country is a sport where the big competitions happen in October and November, but the season is won during July and August!,” Samford said. “It takes time to get ready for high-level racing.
“I think we missed some miles over the summer, but our raw talent, work ethic, and systematic approach to training will shore up these weakness,” he added. “What we need most, is to put our noses to the grindstone, and get the work done.
“Focusing on having consistent days of quality training turn into weeks, into months, and into seasons, is the key to success in this sport.”
With Coupeville also restarting its cross country program at the middle school level in 2018, one of the key building blocks was set in place.
Runners shaped by CMS coach Elizabeth Bitting are already making the jump up to high school, while the next waves will be where the real pay-offs happen.
“On the boys and girls sides we have a lot of freshman with a tremendous amount of potential,” Samford said. “Our returners also had a year of great coaching last year, so they know what it’s going to take to get to the next competitive level.
“Our middle school program is AWESOME and will be a great source of getting talented athletes in Coupeville into the sport.”
While numbers are up for both girls and boys, the girls are still a hair away from having a full roster.
Mihill and Lhamon ran last year, and the addition of Strelow and Mayne bumps the girls team to four harriers, but they need a fifth runner to be a full-scoring team in competition.
“We need a few more girls to join us!!!!!,” Samford pleaded. “To any parents, grandparents, or to the kids themselves — cross country is a sport about camaraderie, inclusion, and self-improvement.
“Yes, it’s difficult. It’s worth it, though!”
Coupeville, which has seven regular-season meets on the books, kicks off its season Sept. 12 at Granite Falls.
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