Transcript for “STU runners travel cross country”

The leaves are falling off the trees, the temperature is creeping down to zero, and the sun is setting but the St. Thomas University cross country team still has some work to do.

Coach Scott Davis is training his team at the Oromocto High School track in preparation for some stiff competition at the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association national championship that will be held in Camrose, Alberta, November 13 and 14.

Funding only allows for a few athletes to make the journey to nationals, but Davis is ready to make the most of what he’s got this year.

The athletes who will be travelling to Alberta are Rebeka Frazer-Chiasson, Olivia Long, Nikki Gillingham, Sarah Peel and Courtney Mills. Olivia is the team captain and the only person who competed in the nationals last year who will also race again this year. Davis is not worried about the lack of experience; in fact he sees it working in their favour.

“We’re kind of in a position this year where people were improving quite a bit and don’t have the running backgrounds as some of the runners in years past. I was able to progress them a little bit slower. This time last year the athletes were a little wore out, tired. This year they seem to be really strong and they’ve responded to the training a lot better.”

Coach Davis says his team is ready for the competition, but as the temperature drops, the chance of illness and injury goes up. That’s why Davis likes to keep his athletes healthy with massages and smoothies. He also prepares the team by showing his athletes their biggest opponent: the race course itself.

Davis started the cross country program three years ago and made it clear that he wanted to send a team to nationals every year and has his reasons for doing so. So far he has succeeded in sending a team twice.

“The exposure the school gets from us competing at the nationals is, you know, just the marketing exposure makes it worthwhile. So to be able to send a team is quite important. Also it just kind of becomes a snowball effect because recruiting-wise I’m able to tell prospective student athletes, you know, at St. Thomas we send a team to Nationals every year. And not only that but we’re currently the only team in the ACAA that sends a team to Nationals.”

“I’m here in Odell Park, the site of the 2010 CCAA National Championship in cross country. This is the starting line where coach Scott Davis would like to see his men’s team compete at the national level for the first time. Even though many teams have been sent to the nationals over the years, this is only the second time that STU will play host to a national athletic competition. For STU Journalism, I’m Stew Corbett.”

Short URL: http://www.newbrunswickbeacon.ca/?p=2717

Posted by Stew Corbett on Nov 8, 2009. Filed under Transcripts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.