Cross Country Cuts

For the first time ever, the Boys' and Girls' Jamesville-DeWitt Cross Country Teams will make cuts in the 2010 season.

This has caused mixed feelings for both runners and coaches. "I think that it's necessary because there are a lot of people," says junior Ameena Dye. "Running is a lot different from other sports," she says. There is no starting lineup, and there is more of a need for individual attention from the coach. "With a team of less people, it is easier for Coach to concentrate on individuals."

However, cuts can have a negative effect on the team as well because people new to the sport may not try out. "People will be afraid that they're not going to make the team, so they won't try out," Dye says.

On the other hand, girls' coach Jim Lawton says, "I don't think cuts will help the team. My personal belief is that anyone who joins the team, works hard to improve, participates in all the meets and practices, and stays committed to the team, should not be cut."

Although cuts may be beneficial next season, they might not have helped this past season. "We had a lot of depth, and a lot of good people qualified for sectionals," senior Val Hughes says. Dye agrees. "I think that we did good with the people that we had."

When the team found out about the future cuts, many were surprised, Dye says. The coaches had been talking about cuts for a long time but they hadn't seemed like a possibility before.

The reason that boys' team will be making cuts is similar to the girls'. "There are too many boys on the team," says coach Emily Rowles. The boys' team began the season with 36 runners, and there were times when she couldn't give all of her attention to people who needed it. She adds, "The number is too big and it is difficult to supervise. When I can't help everybody get their personal best, it's not always a successful season." For Mrs. Rowles, an ideal team size would be 20-25 boys. "The time gap between the fastest runner and the slowest runner is too big," she says. Workouts are based on ability, making it difficult to train a large number of athletes.

Some runners are happy about the cuts, though. Says freshman Jack Healy, "It will be easier to train with less people. You won't have to wait for the slower kids."

"Everybody invested in the team will have their own goals, and people won't just run to get in shape," Mrs. Rowles says. Healy agrees. "The commitment will be better with less people on the team, and there will be better race results."

But he adds that boys, like girls, might get discouraged. "I feel bad for kids being cut, because they may have been cut for another sport before they came to cross country. People will have to work hard to earn their spot," he says.