For the past few years at Chamblee High School, their cross country team has walked away with the regional championship and several state championships. Every year, the team aims to do their best, especially within their tight-knit community. Going into this season with a positive attitude will be essential for the team’s success.
“I want us to continue to really uplift each other and be that type of team that knows that we’re going to not only cheer each other on, but we’re also going to be supportive of other runners that we compete with all throughout the state this entire season, and to stay positive, attitude goes a long way,” said Jennifer Tinnell, one of the team’s coaches.
Likewise, another coach believes the same.
“I feel like the cross country team has the most team spirit,” said Hakim Felts, another one of Chamblee’s cross country coaches. “Of course, it’s subjective because I coach it, but if you ever go to a cross-country meet, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever witnessed.”
Many runners feel the same way about the cross-country community.
“It’s a great environment. Everyone loves to be there, it’s a lot of fun, everyone has their own thing,” said Jackson Heller (’27).
Running is fun, especially if you have a group of friends that enjoy running and share the same passion as you.
“Everybody you know is there, it’s really fun, especially if you have friends,” said Brendan Barnes (’26).
When runners know they are supported, they are able to perform their best, especially if the stress of meeting expectations is gone.
“No one’s ever gonna be hard on you,” said Caleb Gurbaxani (’26).
A common theme among most runners is that they view cross country as not just a sporting event, but also a social one.
“You meet all these people. It’s like a social club,” said Rashad Bijli (’26).
In addition to the supportive community the Chamblee cross country team has, their practices are also very challenging and prepare them well for the meets.
“The school practices are really good, and they work really well. I’ve seen a lot of improvements since summer practice,” said Heller.
Practices are adjusted to suit the skill of the runner, as varsity runners may face more challenging work.
“Occasionally varsity gets to do some things that JV doesn’t do, like longer runs or really hard workouts,” said Ryan Shimabakuro (’26).
Going into the 2024-2025 season, there are many expectations. These concerns range from effort expected during practices to attitude, and how the team captains should lead.
“I expect them to just give 100%, that’s the biggest thing. I want everybody to have fun with a family environment, but I want everybody to give their all and leave everything out there on the field,” said Felts.
Giving 100% effort is going to be the biggest factor in how the Chamblee Cross Country will perform. Dedication will be the key leading the cross-country team to a successful season.
The upcoming cross-country season looks promising, as the team is already mixing smoothly.
“I know it’s only week two, but they’re already blending together as a team,” said Tinnell. “I’m really pumped about this season.”
Nothing comes without work, though, as the cross-country team should still expect to face many obstacles on their path to state championships. The team already faces a challenge coming up in their first meet this Sunday (8/17/2024).
“The biggest obstacle we face as a running program is keeping the kids healthy and making sure they’re consistent with their training,” said Tinnell. “Our first meet is this Saturday at Westminster High School, which is a really challenging course.”
In addition to overcoming obstacles, having leaders that can anchor the team forward will be pivotal in order for the team to thrive.
“So we have already had some seniors that have totally stepped up, seniors like Henry Lehmann on the boys side, and then on the girls team, Paige Pendleton, Talley Pendleton and Juliet Herman,” said Tinnell.
Going into this season, both cross-country coaches expect the experienced runners to lead by example, especially the team captains.
“If the captains lead by example, show up to practice, and consistently work hard, other athletes will follow their lead,” said Felts.
Tinnell also believes that experienced runners will lead by example, by encouraging other runners to follow suit.
“The captains are great role models with their work ethic and how they train,” said Tinnell. “So when the other runners on the team see them putting in the work, then they know they need to do it as well.”
