By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Michael Schlater has taken on a greater role this season as a coach for the St. Joseph Academy cross country team.
A father of one of the runners, Schlater has helped coach the squad five years. He assumed greater responsibilities this fall when longtime coach Meme Garza added junior high guidance counselor duties that have kept him from attending morning workouts. No problem, as Schlater stepped in to direct practice before school and Garza runs after-school sessions.
Given a choice, most of the runners have opted to work out in the morning, so Garza appreciates Schlater’s contribution and refers to him as the “co-head coach.”
“I’m excited by the way the kids have responded to his coaching and philosophy (of running) this year,” Garza said of Schlater. “He does a real good job with them. They respect him, and he’s a very kind man and a very honest person. The kids enjoy his company and his coaching.”
Concerning his expanded role with the team, Schlater said, “I would say the most important things I try to stress are dedication, discipline and persistence with coming to practice every day and giving their best effort. If they do that, the results will come.
“(I’ve seen those qualities with our current team) very much so,” Schlater added. “It’s a balanced group (of older and younger runners). We have five seniors going to state (this weekend) along with five freshmen. The seniors have provided strong leadership for the freshmen.”
SJA will have eight boys and eight girls competing in today’s TAPPS state meet in Waco. The girls run at 10 a.m., and the boys follow at 10:30 a.m. at the Waco Connally Middle School campus.
Running for the SJA boys will be Sean Humphreys, Julian Montfort, Mario Oliva Sanchez, Marte Rodriguez, David Schlater, Quirino Balderas and brothers Daniel and Alejandro Juarez. For the girls, the runners are Gaby Garza, Mireya Lopez, Mari Jose Del Pozo, Alison Alvarez, Lucinda Hinojosa, Ileana Polanco, Priscila Hernandez and Paulina Varela.
Montfort and Alvarez are team captains.
“We’ve been practicing every single day, either in the morning or afternoon, so we’re going to go over there and run as hard as we can and take whatever place we can, hopefully something good,” said Montfort, a senior. “We’re just going to give it all we’ve got.”
Added Alvarez, also a senior, “We’ve made a lot of improvement (since the summer), and the team has surprised me, and I’ve actually surprised myself (by how I’ve gotten better), so I’m really glad about how the team has turned out.”
Meme Garza said about 20 teams annually compete at the TAPPS state meet. One year ago, the SJA girls placed ninth and the boys were 10th, he said.
“The last few years we’ve been stuck in the middle (of the team point totals) and we hope to make a jump this year,” he said.
RECAP OF 32-6A
Top finishers at the District 32-6A meet Oct. 17 are busy preparing for the Region IV meet Nov. 1 in San Antonio .
The top three boys teams to qualify for the regional meet from 32-6A were Rivera, Hanna and Harlingen High. The three 32-6A girls teams advancing to San Antonio are Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Hanna and Harlingen High.
The top 10 individual finishers at district also qualified for the Region IV meet.
DISTRICT 32-5A MEET
Runners from Porter and Pace will compete at the District 32-5A meet today at Donna North. Also Saturday, Mission Veterans will be the host school for the District 31-5A meet.
The top three teams and top 10 individuals from both districts likewise qualify for the Nov. 1 regional meet.