Cross Country jumped straight into their pre-season at Town Park at the end of last year’s track season in April 2024. After gathering everyone there at either 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. they warmed up to get their runs started.
Cross country never stops running even in the offseason to ensure they stay in shape. After a summer of meeting up outside of school, now pre-season is ready to go. On July 1, varsity cross-country coed Head Coach Jeff Lindsey scheduled runs at 6 a.m. at Legacy. Coach Lindsey can’t be out there with them, so he elected senior Joshua Odums, and junior Yizel Castillo to lead the runners.
“Josh Odums works really hard and makes the team want to work harder. And he’s a seasoned veteran,” Coach Linsey said. “Yizel Castillo is a great runner. She’s done a great job and gets the girls in line.”
Odums went to UIL State his junior year and this year looks to repeat in the same way. In Odums’ last year, he wants to make an impact for himself and ensure he gets the recruitment he desires.
“My personal goals are I want to go south 15 in the 5k. It’s just the only thing I’m worried about is recruitment,” Odums said. “I’ve talked to a few coaches, but you know, It’s different for everyone.”
Goals mean a lot for this team and Coach Lindsey needs his team to go even farther than just goals this season. Sophomore Jet Lockett plans to match the expectations Coach Lindsey put on him.
“He’s a very good coach. He knows what he’s doing and he is very supportive,” Lockett said. “He keeps it real with us too. He will tell us if we’re not doing good.”
Coach Lindsey made changes this year compared to last, with the biggest change being a new captain who plans to perform for the recruitment. Odums is now the boys’ captain and seeks to get recruited by Oregon University. And with the people he needs to lead they have set their own priorities. Lockett is entering his year two with big expectations and wanting to improve more now that he is older.
“I think it matters more this year because I’m getting older, and it matters more once I’m going to be an upperclassman,” Lockett said
The team’s two main focuses are recognition and culture. In culture, each runner continues to hold each other accountable and not let others fall behind.
“I don’t have to do too much, just keep the boys in check. But everyone’s pretty independent,” Odums said. “They all know I have my personal goals, and they have their personal goals. So we all work together.”
Breaking records and having success is what this team looks to repeat in this season. Now it’s time to create recognition for these athletes who work so hard in the early hours of the day and Coach Lindsey believes this team deserves the recognition.
“We’ve broken every district record, not just Legacy records, in the 800, the mile, the two-mile, the 5k, I mean, we have some incredible kids come through so it just needs to be recognized,” Lindsey said.
