Wichita Trinity Cross Country: Under the Radar

WICHITA, Kan. — The Trinity girls cross country team is considered in the top five best teams in 4A this year due to their passion and determination to win.

“Committed, competitive, determined to succeed,” that is what Randy Mijares, coach of the Trinity cross-country team, says about his girls’ team.

The knights are made up of 17 runners that have been committed to the team since the start of the season.

“Most of the girls started training together this summer, and now they’re gaining confidence in their own success,” said Mijares.

The girls cross-country team is extremely young. However, they have proven through their first meets to be successful, winning four of their first five meets.

Elise Alexander, freshman, said that what motivates her, as a runner is “probably just the fact that just individually I can help the team.”

However, Alexis Mijares, freshman, and daughter of the coach, has been considered to be a leader on her team by many of her teammates because of her experience running competitively in the past.

“I like running, and I can’t do any other sports everyday my dad makes me run. I’ve always liked running, and I’ve spent six years on a team but pretty much been running my whole life,” said Alexis.

Coach Mijares has coached cross-country for 25 years, so he has a lot of experience motivating students and convincing them to keep coming back the next year.

“He always gives us a pep talk before we run,” said Katie Wolgast, freshmen.

At the start of the season, what motivated runners to come out for cross-country was the incentive of getting in shape for their sports in later months; but for many, there is an incentive of being with friends.

“I want to get in shape for basketball and soccer, and also because I love Kayla Dohm and Shiloh Dawn Miller,” said Madison Clinton, junior.

Some students thought they would not like cross-country, but are glad they did participate.

“As much as you think you’re going to hate cross country, it can only get better,” said Jacob Kloth, junior.

The runners don’t believe that their own talent has been the only thing translating to their success.

“He won’t let us listen to music because he thinks it will distract us, and we keep motivating each other,” said Kayla Dohm, junior.

According to many of the men on the team such as Asa Castro-miller, Austin Shanks, Grant Alexander and Kloth, the girls’ team can go all the way, and they would be surprised if they didn’t make it to State.

“Great coach, great work ethic and great runners,” said Shanks.

However, the girls’ team is extremely underestimated. As of September 24, 2012, the girls’ team had just one vote in the 4A catchitkansas.com poles. Coach Mijares said that in a way it is an advantage for the team because everyone will be underestimating them going into State. It really fuels them to push harder toward a mutual goal of winning State.