Head Coach: Amanda Follmar
Recap: Last season, the varsity boys team placed 6th in De Anza League finals and 10th at CCS. The varsity girls team placed 6th in league finals and 8th at CCS.
Star Runners:
Boys: Seniors Jack Dong, Kyle Li and Jack Tong
Girls: Sophomores Claire Hou, Eliana McBeth and Sadie McBeth
Key losses to graduation: Adi Hebbablae, Anisha Rahut and Dylan Sordello
League: De Anza League
Prognosis:
While their first league meet isn’t until Sept. 23, the cross country team has been training consistently in preparation. For the varsity boys, varsity girls and JV boys teams, their first race was at the Lowell Invitational at Golden Gate Park on Sept. 6.
The varsity girls finished 3rd, and the varsity boys finished 17th. The girls were paced by Hou, who ran the 2.78 mile course in 17:54 and finished third individually. The boys were led by Dong, who ran the same course in 15:49.
To prepare for the several upcoming races, head coach Amanda Follmar has increased both the intensity and mileage. The team’s first progress check was on Aug. 26, when they had a 5K time trial. It consisted of a 1-mile warmup and a 5K route at Fremont Older. Since former head coach Ian Tippetts left to coach at Redwood Middle School, these are some of the changes that Follmar has implemented this season; she also added summer practices, new run routes and more invitationals.
“I think most people on the team have already gotten used to [Follmar’s changes.] She’s super organized and really commits to the team,” senior head captain Jack Dong said. “Rather than listening to her, it’s more like we’re working together.”
Follmar regularly competes in ultramarathons such as the High Lonesome 100 race in July. She also has years of coaching experience — last year, she was the girls’ head coach for cross country and distance coach for track and field at SHS, and she coached the Redwood Middle School cross country team for two years.
“I love creating opportunities for young athletes to explore their perceived limits and push past them. They realize they are capable of much more than they realize — not only in running, but in other parts of life as well,” Follmar said.
Due to her connection with the middle school, the team has seen its underclassmen numbers steadily grow. Among the promising runners for the boys’ team are three freshmen, Arjun Garlapati, Josh Chatterjee and Alexander Khain, who together won the 4×400 meter relay at the Silicon Valley Track & Field Championships in May. Garlapati has also placed third at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships.
On the other hand, the girls’ team consists solely of underclassmen, with five freshmen and four sophomores. But since cross country is a co-ed sport, the boys’ and girls’ teams train together, keeping the team spirit strong. They typically run four to six miles a day, along with weight room sessions twice a week and long runs between eight to 10 miles on Saturday mornings.
For Dong, one of the biggest goals is to maintain team traditions and team spirit. Dong has suggested creating team chants, being more active on Instagram and organizing senior celebrations.
“I want to build something that’s able to be passed down to the next generation. Building that respect for the team [is a goal],” Dong said.
Follmar added: “The kids on the cross country team are incredibly hard working and dedicated. They do it because they can and want to, not because they have to. They care for each other in a way that is very special. They really are a team that is more like a little family.”
