Photo by Lisa Rogers

Article and photos by Lisa Rogers

The Green Hope Cross Country Team began training for the 2009 season in June.  When most were sleeping or slowly waking up, the Cross Country team was meeting at 7:00 am for a morning run or workout.  Over the last four months they have encountered high humidity,100 degree temperatures, sudden down pours, miles of concrete and trails,  pounds of pasta, hundreds of pancakes and strong friendships.

In the rain and mud on October 10, a group of Green Hope runners traveled to Beeson Park in Kernersville to participate in the 4 Runners Only Cross Country Carnival. In addition to the traditional 5K run, there were 4-Runner Relays and a 3K Steeplechase with hay bales competition.

Despite the weather and muddy uniforms, Green Hope took 1st place in:

• the Boys Championship,
• Girls Championship,
• Boys Varsity 5K (11th and 12th),
• Girls Varsity 5K (11th and 12th),
• Boys Frosh/Soph 5K (9th and 10th)
• and Girls Frosh/Soph 5K (9th and 10th).

Bryan Spritzer placed 1st in the Boys Championship and set a course record.  Green Hope also received the UNOFFICIAL JV State Championship for the Boys and  Girls Frosh/Soph.  The Boys relay teams placed 3rd and 5th and the Girls relay teams placed 1st and 4th.  Max Clinton took 1st place in the Boys Steeplechase and Olivia Enright received 1st place in the Girls Steeplechase.

Team huddles prior to the race

The 2009 Cross Country season is slowing coming to an end for the local high schools.  Green Hope will compete in the Tri-9 Conference Meet on October 21 at Wake Med Soccer Park.  The Boys Varsity Race will begin at 4:00 pm with the Girls Varsity Race following at 4:30 pm.  There will be a JV Race at 5:00 pm for boys and girls. Green Hope has been the Conference Champion for several years and hopes to continue the streak in 2009.

The Green Hope Cross Country team is the largest high school team in North Carolina with 200 boys and girls.  Coach Mike Miragliuolo breaks this large team into smaller units called “companies” for practices and there are 20 such companies. Cross Country practices begin in June with the official start of the season in August.  To kick off the season, Parents make a humongous pancake breakfast before the first 2 long runs at Bond Park. The team continues these big meals through out their season as parents head up pasta parties where 100- 125 runners typically show up to polish off many pounds of spaghetti.

The team is a a tight knit running FAMILY. So tight knit , that at the recent Great American Festival at Wake Med Soccer Park, many graduates returned to cheer on their alma mater.

Coach Miragliuolo excites these kids to be lifelong athletes and to enjoy being part of something larger than themselves.