The George M. Steinbrenner boys cross country team is the top contender for 4A boys in the preseason rankings. Coach Allison Ennis-Szponar gives us the scouting report for the "Boss Cross."
What takeaways did you learn last season that you are looking to apply to the 2018 season?
Our guys are competitors, and coming in second last year motivated our team to work even harder this year.
What is the best way to describe your coaching philosophy when working with these high school athletes?
It is clear from day one that to be a part of the Boss Cross one must be "all in". You don't miss practice, you invest your time and energy to make yourself better, and you put your teammates above yourself.
What has summer training been like?
We're fortunate enough to have some excellent senior leaders who pushed the importance of summer mileage to the team. The mileage coupled with our commitment to the community, running with dogs from the humane society drives home the fact that we are more than just a cross-country team. We strive to make an impact on and off the course.
Any impactful freshman or transfers to join the team this season?
We have some new faces who have joined us this year, as well as runners who have stepped up and who have worked hard this summer to make an impact.
Which athlete(s) on your team do you think will be the biggest surprise and why?
No surprises, we understand the potential that our athletes have, and know how hard they have been working.
What will be the biggest challenge your team will face this year?
As with any team, the struggle is always mental. As long as our guys just get out there and run hard, we know they can overcome that challenge.
From your perspective, what would define success for your team this season? What do you think it will take for your team to achieve that?
Success for our team would be defined as building gentlemen, scholars, and athletes. With having the second highest GPA in 4A last year, stressing our community involvement to team members, and through our training, we will have accomplished all three.
What are some of the meets the team is looking forward to this year?
Any and all. Our guys are itching to just get out there and compete.