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Poland cross-country team set to begin using new course
High-school program hopes to host first meet next year
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, looking down at the course’s intimidating slopes.
While perhaps daunted, all of them expressed excitement.
“I think it looks great,” said senior Tessa Snider. “I’m glad we have a home course now.”
Only after climbing up the small hill that sits opposite the park’s soccer fields is the course visible to spectators; on the other side of a chain-link fence, it opens up below and loops around a low-lying plain. Several hills rise off the plain in specially-designed spirals.
The course is undoubtedly tough, and the coaches – Graf, and boys coach Becky Rudzik – designed it that way on purpose.
“I think it will really benefit us being able to train on it,” said Graf. “They [the team members] say it laughingly, but this will make the other courses look easy.”
Another special feature of the track is that, unlike most other cross-country courses, spectators will be able to view the entire five-kilometer race from one spot. During most other races, spectators move from place to place to see different parts of the race.
Poland runners know their parents will appreciate that aspect of the course.
“I know all of our parents enjoy seeing us run, because we spend so much time and dedicate ourselves to this sport,” said senior Jessica Weetman.
“We’ve had a lot of parents who have dedicated themselves to volunteering and helping, and I think it’ll be a nice reward for them to have a home course and be able to watch,” said Graf.
Creation of the course was made possible in large part due to Republic Services, which operates the Carbon Limestone Landfill in the township. Republic leases park property to the township for $1 a year, and frequently helps with projects there. The company paid for a contractor to build the course, using materials left over from a drainage project at the landfill.
“We had this huge amount of dirt to remove,” said Republic Services division manager Mike Heher. He suggested using it to build a sled-riding hill at the park, and then to build the long-awaited running course.
“It took extra effort and working and planning, but it really was a nice touch there,” Heher said.
“I hope it makes the community more aware of how successful our cross-country team is, because we have some great runners,” said Mediati.