By maintaining their sense of unity as a team and pushing each other to their full potential, the Souderton boys cross country team is preparing to defend their title of league champs.
Last year, the boys cross country team set a high bar for this upcoming season.
“We’re the defending league champs. We did so well last year at districts that we made it to states for the first time ever in school history,” boys cross country coach Jimmy Stevenson said. “Souderton has never won a league championship in the history of cross country or track and field for boys or girls, until last year. It was very epic and big news and history in the making.”
Senior varsity runner Benjamin Wright said that for the team, knowing that they need to defend their title of league champions causes “a little bit of stress.”
According to Wright, not only does the team need to defend their title, but they also lost “four of [their] seniors who were in the top seven on the team.”
“So that kind of makes us feel not as prepared or not as sufficient to regain that title,” Wright said, “but I think if we work as hard as we possibly can and work as a team and keep that good dynamic in our system, then I think we can come out on top and win that race.”
In addition to working as a team, the boys cross country team embraces the idea of brotherhood.
According to Stevenson, the team is sustained by its three main pillars, which are “discipline, professionalism and perseverance.”
Underneath those pillars is the “foundation of humility and selflessness and the roof on all of that is brotherhood,” Stevenson said.
Brotherhood is a very important aspect to the cross country team, and they work to uphold this aspect throughout their practices and meets.
Freshman JV runner Jamin Crozier said that Stevenson really tries to focus on the team acting as a family and lifting each other up.
“We all work together. We shouldn’t be worrying about ourselves or worrying about our own personal records,” Crozier said. “Instead, we’re worrying about our team winning, doing well, and putting the work in. No matter if you’re the slowest runner or the fastest runner, we’re all together and cheering each other on.”