Poland High about to debut new cross-country course

POLAND

When Kim Graf began coaching at Poland in 1998, the idea of bringing a high-school cross-country course to the district was just that: an idea. A hope. A thought in the back of her mind.

Soon, however, Graf and her fellow coaches will see that dream become reality as Poland runners set foot on their very own course at Poland Township Park.

The bulk of the work is now complete on the course, and student athletes will begin practicing there within the next few weeks. The high school cross-country program hopes to host its first meet there sometime next year.

Graf, who is head coach of the high-school girls’ team, is excited for what it will mean for the program.

“That’s always something as a coach you have in the back of your mind, that you’d like to give your kids who work so hard the advantage of having a home course,” she said. “We felt that was something we couldn’t give our kids that other schools had, so being able to add this is huge for us.”

A Vindicator reporter stopped by the park this week to check out the course; also seeing it for the first time were several high school cross-country runners whose eyes grew wide upon looking down at the weaving path.

“My legs hurt from looking at it,” joked senior Marina Mediati.

Read more about the course in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.