Team name: Southside High School
Coach name (years coaching and record): Jonathan and Katie Smith (both two years coaching at Southside)
Assistant coaches: None
Number of athletes on boys team and girls team: Boys ~ 20, Girls ~ 15
Top returners: Boys: Jaylon Irby, Oscar Hernandez
Girls: Noemi Gutierrez, LiLi Campbell
New top runners: Boys: Claudio Davila, Ezekial Gutierrez, Skye Fuller, Jordan Redd, Neil Davda
Girls: Raven Stewart, Jasmin Garcia
Expectations for the season: Have both teams qualify for state.
Any major changes?: We've had a much larger group come out for summer training than the year before. We also have done a lot of fundraising before the season starts so we'll be able to afford much more than last year.
Team records for XC: Boys, Marquise Hamilton - 18:08, 2014
Girls, Anna Johnson - 22:14, 2008
Rebuilding the Southside program (2014)
Uniqueness to yourself and/or team: Everyone on our team is still new to the sport. Last year (2014) was really the first year SHS has had a full program and all 24 of our athletes were brand new runners. It was very interesting having to explain everything to each athlete, whether it be what a stride is or how to properly do an interval. I'm excited to see how this year unfolds now that many of the kids have a years experience under their belt.
Meets focusing on this season: State Qualifier.
Coaching philosophy: The sense of family is a huge component in our team dynamic. I emphasize this because if an athlete knows they are more to the team than just another body, they will want to work harder, be consistent, and treat one another with love and respect. The creed athletes say before races even starts with "We are family..."
Training advice as season progresses: Don't get too carried away wanting athletes to PR every single race. It's the long game that matters. I'd rather my athletes run tough, hard, slow courses earlier in the season so they have a strong will about them in races to push harder and faster in the later part of the season when it matters.
Athlete beliefs: "We are family..."
Parent relationship advice: Get in contact early and often. Parents often enjoy supporting their child and team...so give them the opportunity!
Challenges: As stated with the uniqueness of our team, our athletes are all still very new to the sport so many of them still need more guidance than might be expected. But this also means no bad habits!