Community School of Naples

The 2015-2016 school year has provided some great highlights in both cross country and track across the Sunshine State. In the coming weeks many of our seniors will head out to start their college careers both athletically and academically. We wanted to salute them one more time in this special feature and say thank you for your support over the years.

Community School of Naples senior Stephanie Paul became one of only two discus throwers in the state to go over 150 feet joining state leader Debbie Ajagbe of Ransom Everglades who launched the implement an impressive 157'10" at a mid-week meet at Belen Jesuit. Check out the top 500 girls discus throws for the 2016 season.

Entering the 2015 season the girls of Fort Walton Beach knew this would be their best shot at a podium finish with four experienced seniors at the front of the lineup. The Vikings, who ended up 7th at the Cross Country Finals  lead our team scores for the class of 2016. See where your squad stacks up? 

The college decision is in for Community School of Naples senior Lindsay Tomaini. Tomaini who owns personal bests of 5:13.68 (1,600m), 11:14.57 (3,200m), and 18:45.20 (5k) ultimately selected the TCU Horned Frogs over the University of Florida. We caught up with her to talk about her college plans.

Perseverance means, by definition, the steady persistence to achieve a goal despite obstacles. I would say that most runners at some point need to focus on their perseverance. We regroup after a race that may not have gone our way or dig deep mid race when we know it can.

The past couple weeks I have been transitioning back into my normal routine of school and running. So far school has been fantastic and running even more so.

This summer has been the best one of my life! After finishing my last exam on June 1st, I couldn't wait for the three months that followed. I was now going to be a senior, and although, I would have to watch some of my closest friends leave for college, I would begin training for the most important cross country season of my life.

Oak Hall and Holy Trinity have been the top two teams in 1A for a long while. The Tigers have won the last three meetings at state. Is 2015 Oak Hall's year? Check out the top ten girls teams in the state's smallest class.

For runners, the summer offers a time to attend various running camps throughout the country. Community School of Naples senior Lindsay Tomaini tells us about her experience at Team Prep USA in the mountains of Colorado.

The Holy Trinity girls and boys look to be shoe ins for their 8th respective titles and numbers 15 and 16 as a school. Will they also have the 1A individual champion to go with the team trophies? 

One week after successfully defending his Florida 4A state title in record time at Little Everglades Ranch, Melbourne junior Brian Atkinson powered his way to the NXN Southeast Regional championship.

Brian Atkinson had a fantastic day to won the race in 15:11 by three seconds. Melbourne upset Belen Jesuit to place as the top Florida boys team in 8th place, Tampa Jesuit was 11th, and Belen Jesuit 12th. Chiles girls were 7th place and Community School Girls 8th place. Erika Fluehr is top Florida girls finisher in 10th place with 18:11. While no Florida teams advance, Brian Atkinson can move on to the national meet in Portland.  This is the first year NXN is accepting individuals as well was teams.

As if Kayla Hale hadn’t done enough for the Melbourne Holy Trinity cross country program over the course of her career, her actions minutes after securing an historic fourth individual state title Saturday, spoke louder than words. Instead of basking in the spotlight of her record-tying feat - becoming just the fourth runner in state history to win four titles - Hale was in the finishing chute at Little Everglades Ranch, heaping praise on her teammates while helping them to their feet.

This weekend a couple thousand of runners, including many of the best in the state of Florida, will be headed to an out-of-the way ranch in dimly populated North Pasco County.  Down the small dirt, wooden path they will venture, hoping their bus does not get stuck.  And then finally over the railroad tracks, the woods open up and they will see it:  the beautiful Little Everglades Ranch.  Some hate the course, some love it.  But there is no denying it is one of the most beautiful spaces of authentic Florida that you will find.  No tourists.  No urban sprawl.  Just a serene natural setting filled with the greenest grass, wetland ponds, blue herons and other water birds, along with a few hundred head of cattle! 2096 athletes and 80 schools are entered, coming from as far away as Key West and Fort Walton Beach.  Some of them are perennial powers.  Others are small but developing programs.  All coming together for this preview of the season culminating state championship meet just over a month from now. Here is your first look at the competition.

In case you didn't notice in the horde of district results this week... Community School of Naples is FOR REAL!  Sure they've had an excellent season thus far, but the performance from these girls at their 1A District 6 meet was an amazing breakthrough.  Perfect score of 15. Team average of 19:23.  1-5 Split of just 17 seconds!  The performance vaulted them into second place according to our controversial yet objective "team rankings" that score the individual rankings as a large meet.