SMAC Running Club - Strength Motivation And Courage

The 2008 Cross Country Season was a year for new beginnings. First of all we had a new coach, Shawn Kappner, and we had many new girls who helped us reach an all time team-high of 25 SMAC’ers! Hanna Olberding, Courtney Naber, Kelly Fuller, Lauren Walsh, Margo Wolf, Lisa Campalongo, Randi Dailey, Cameron Carothers, Elizabeth Holly, Rebecca Shulte, Jessie Geraci, Hayley Hillberg, Katherine Holly, Sarah Stark, Claire Williams, Rita Maricocchi, Alaina Kappner, Molly Driscoll, Molly McGeeney, Maggie Moeller, Megan Olgilbee, Ali Raftery, Hannah Sagel, Danielle Stiene, and Carolyn Eyre were all of the girls who contributed to a very successful season.

The season started off with a preseason/alumni meet held at Weller Park where many previous SMAC’ers showed up and imparted their wisdom on all of the current SMAC’ers. It gave all of the girls a chance to sort of see what a real meet is like and to show their competitive sides. The meet produced great starting two-mile times and an opportunity to set goals for the season.

From there, the team entered its first meet: the Moeller Invitational on August twenty-first. At this very well organized meet SMAC placed five girls in the top fifteen, nine girls in the top twenty-five, and achieved one new PR. The SMAC girls as a team finished second overall out of six teams and could not have been more pleased with their performance. Now that the first race jitters were set aside, the SMAC girls were ready to defend their pink shirts.

Next, SMAC drove out to Hillsboro on August thirteenth. The pleasant morning weather made it a great day for running. The team as a whole had worked very hard in practice that week and it showed in the nine PRs and four midseason goals met. The girls finished third to Oak Hills and Kings. Seven days later the SMAC’ers found themselves at Mason, where they faced their toughest competition yet. Mason’s flat course with few hills helped many girls achieve new PRs and their midseason goals. The SMAC’ers finished fourth overall in the team race and second in the open race! It was definitely a successful and confidence-building meet despite the dog poop they had stretched in. J

The next stop for SMAC was Milford on September thirteenth. I’m sure if you asked any of the girls that were on the team, they could tell you how insanely hot and humid it was, but that didn’t stop the amazing SMAC’ers. There were no PRs, but we did finish in second place: beating the Bobcats by ten points who had beat us at Moeller by two points. WOW! WOW! WOW!

At this point in the season there were only four meets left, and it was time to redirect one’s mind to their end-of-season goals instead of focusing on midseason goals. With four weeks left until City Championships, everyone at practice was working hard. As the workouts got tougher, so did the SMAC girls. But that sure didn’t stop the girls from having scavenger hunts and playing tag on Spirit Days! Everyone on the team learned to develop a serious attitude when training, and a silly attitude when practice was over.

Next the SMAC team traveled to New Richmond on September twentieth. After a very gutsy performance, the team finished first in the team race! Next up was the St. Xavier Meet held at St. Xavier High School on September twenty-seventh. There was A LOT of competition (especially New Richmond with their awesome bright green sweatshirts) which resulted in a seventh place finish out of twenty-five teams. There were eleven PRs and six end-of-season goals shattered! Everyone did an amazing job and all contributed to SMAC’s success that day.

The last meet before City Championships was the Centerville Stampede on October fourth. After a little uniform trouble and stretching, the team race girls got on the line and took off. Fifty- five minutes later the open race girls did the same and there were some great results. A lot of heart and a lot of guts made for a great race.

Finally the day we had all been waiting for came: October thirteenth, at Colerain High School, the Junior High All-City Cross Country Championships! Everyone was nervous and excited, and when it was all over, the SMAC girls had finished in third place for the small school division team and open race! Also, after some great running, the boy’s SMAC team took home a first place finish in the small schools division team race! It just goes to show that all of the effort the girls gave in practice and in races showed in their improvement in the stats each week.

So this is what happened during the 2008 Cross Country season and, even though it all sounds like work and nervousness, the SMAC’ers had a lot of fun during the season too. And of course it would not have at all been possible without the amazing and very brave head coach, Shawn Kappner. With help from his assistant coach, Mark Holly, he ran the team very well. Even a season of new beginnings had to end, but there is always next year where there will be some new and some returning SMAC’ers to carry on the tradition.

By: Rita Maricocchi

SMAC Running Club, Loveland, Ohio
Comprised of students from the schools of
St. Columban & St. Margaret of York
and other parochial schools near Loveland, Ohio.

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