Gabe Stark
Reporter

Cross country is back at Trenton High School, with a group of 10 runners preparing to represent the Bulldogs as the program returns for the first time since the 1980s.

“We had a group of seniors that petitioned it and really wanted it,” Coach Chris Park said. “There was interest in it, and that’s why we got it back in.”

The renewed program includes six boys and four girls. Although the runners are entering their first high school cross country season, many already have experience with distance running through track.

Park said that background should help, but the team will still have plenty to learn when it competes in its first meet Monday, Aug. 31.

“Overall, I think it’s going to be eye-opening when we compete because they’ve never been at a cross country meet,” the coach said. “I have a majority of these kids that run distance in track, so they kind of know the feeling of it. They just don’t know the overall terrain of running on grass and running a 5K.”

This is also Park’s first season coaching cross country. While he has not previously coached the sport, he has spent years around it through his family. His daughter qualified for state all four years of high school in cross country, and Park said that experience gave him familiarity with the sport before taking over Trenton’s new program.

As the Bulldogs build the program from the ground up, the coach said his main focus is not on immediate results, but on making progress throughout the season.

“The overall important thing is just keep improving,” he said. “I’ve always believed that if you keep improving in any sport you’re doing, you’re going to get better.”

Park said the team has done much of its work early in the morning, practicing from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m.

“It’s been hot, but we practice a lot in the morning,” the coach said. “That’s when we do the majority of our practices because we have some kids that do other sports, and this way they can go to both.”

Trenton will compete in seven meets this season, including a conference meet, but will not host a home meet. Park said spectators can still follow the team on the road, and cross country courses allow fans to move to different points to watch runners throughout the race.

For those unable to travel, Park said encouraging the athletes is another way the community can support the new program.

“I’m really excited with this group because this group works very hard for me,” he said.