Year 1 — Nevada Men’s Cross Country
In December 2019 the University of Nevada decided to restart the Men’s cross country team. At this point in time any existing program would be behind in recruiting students for the upcoming academic year. But the coaching staff started recruiting right away. By the time I started as a coach in July we already had commitments from some of the best runners in Nevada. Our list of athletes to try out for the team was about 20. But ultimately we could only have 12 on the roster. At the first team meeting in the fall 13 men arrived to be on the team. All 13 were given a spot of the team.
None of the coaches knew what to expect. And we really didn’t have any expectations. Our first workout was a few days after our first meeting. The workout was at a park where we would host our first meet of the season. Honestly this workout was disappointing. But nevertheless, we were all excited to build this new team from the bottom.
At the end of the week we started our camp at Donner Lake. Five days to really see this team. Getting to know someone or a group of people takes a long time. And over time the attitudes and behaviors of a group can change. However, after a couple of days, I started piecing together all the interactions I witnessed. This is when I started to realize what this moment meant. The adjective that always come to my mind is grateful. I’ve never seen a group so appreciative of the simple opportunity to be a part of something greater than themselves. Personally, this was a new experience for me. Through all my years with teams and runners there was never this level of satisfaction with just having an opportunity. And although this was a bit surprising the moment made total sense. For the last 25 years there had been no options for men to compete in cross country after high school in Nevada. And students that were at Nevada for a diploma were now on a division one cross country team. Now chasing dreams that were put up on the shelf a while ago.
The true start to this dream was race day. A race on the home turf. The perfect setting to witness a small part of history for Nevada. After a few high school races and the usual pre-race jitters the men reached the start line. The buzz was significant and surreal. It felt like cross country mattered and it felt like this team mattered. And I never felt so attached and proud of a group that I had only known for two weeks. Throughout the race the enthusiasm for Nevada was undeniable. Powered by the home crowd we won the dual meet. A fitting end to the first chapter of this young team.
Throughout the next couple weeks and months, the team kept learning the ropes. Failing and succeeding quite frequently. Tough lessons were tougher and than easier. A rollercoaster ride through rough workouts and injuries and the 8 kilometer cross country race. Every athlete that toed the line that year had zero previous college racing experience. I never thought a team would be happy to just beat a couple teams throughout the year. Overall, the team was happy with the effort. But with no hesitation they had their eyes set on being a lot better next year.
In March right before our first track meet the world shuttered. Ending our first year as a team so abruptly was not the plan. With no official practices until September this group only strengthened their resolve to rise through the ranks. Together almost everyday building the foundation for years to come on the trails and streets in Northern Nevada. Never looking back and reeling for whatever the future would hold.
To me there are two sides to starting a new adventure. Of course, most people are a bit nervous because they are unsure of the future. But on the other side the naiveness’ sort of frees your mind to not fear much, because you have no clue what is waiting on the other side of your efforts. And I guess that makes chasing a new dream such a thrill.
