This year’s girls cross country team is the biggest it has been in a while. With twenty runners on the roster, the group has more than doubled compared to last year’s eight runners. It’s a huge change, and both the athletes and the coaches can feel the difference.

Head Coach Mr. Baird reflected on how the numbers have shifted over the years. “When we first started cross country here, about 30 people came out,” he said. Over time, though, the size went down as new sports, like volleyball, started to appear, and as crew became a year-round sport. With students pulled in different directions, the team naturally shrank. However, thanks to the new team captain Kayla Otoo, she was able to recruit a lot of new people by expressing her love for the sport and how much it has impacted her years at Kent. That’s why seeing such a big group again feels especially exciting.

Mr. Baird also emphasized that while running is often thought of as an individual sport, it’s really more about teamwork. “You always have someone with you, pushing you. With more people at different levels, it is definitely a huge positive,” he said.

That idea is clear at practices, where the mix of newcomers and returning runners has created an environment where athletes challenge one another. Instead of just running alone, students now have training partners who help them keep pace.

Another big benefit of having twenty runners is that there’s a strong mix of students from every grade level. The team isn’t just made up of seniors or underclassmen—it’s spread out, which is a good representation across the school. 

The team’s next meet is against Canterbury, where the top seven runners will compete. With its numbers rising again and a new sense of spirit, this season already feels like a turning point for cross country.