Sharyland High’s Danielle Salinas has a good perspective on why the upcoming cross-country season had to be postponed.
“Both my parents work at hospitals,” Salinas said. “So, I understand why the season had to be pushed back, but I still train as much as I can by practicing everyday.”
With COVID-19 striking the Rio Grande Valley with a growing number of cases, the usual routine of starting sports has been pushed back. The cross-country season, for now, begins Oct. 3.
Although the season is scheduled to start more than two months from now, some student-athletes have been optimistic and have been practicing.
The Edinburg Economedes girls cross-country team was one of the Valley’s top programs, according to the Rio Grande Valley Cross-Country Coaches Association (RGVCCCA). Based on the Meet of Champions at Donna High, the organization ranked Sharyland High the top girls team followed by Weslaco High and then Economedes.
All things considered, Edinburg Economedes girls head coach Brenda Lozano still has the same goal and mindset for this upcoming season.
“It really has affected us as a team,” Lozano said. “With this virus going on, we cannot hold our usual summer practices. I send the girls a workout routine, so they can do it every day and it is hard when we are not face-to-face to actually train them correctly.”
Lozano lost only one senior, Diane Lozano, from last year’s squad who signed with Western Texas College.
“I have a young group of girls,” Lozano said. “I see a lot of potential and I have a lot of incoming freshmen that are good and fighting for that seventh spot on the varsity team.”
Last season, Lozano had one senior, two juniors, one sophomore and three freshmen on the team.
“I want the season to begin, but I know we have to take the correct precautions,” Lozano said. “The girls are still practicing even though we don’t know if the season will actually start or not, by the way things are, the decisions can change any time.”
Dianett Garcia, an incoming junior at Economedes, is preparing as if the season will not get canceled.
“I practice almost every day,” Garcia said. “I do different workouts throughout the week like long distance and sprinting. I am pretty upset that the season has been pushed back. We would have been already two months practicing, but instead we are practicing on our own, waiting for it (season) to start.”
The same mindset goes for the Valley’s top team for the past two years, according to the RGVCCCA.
Sharyland High girls head coach Melissa Dearth is eager for the season to begin.
“I want my girls to keep practicing,” Dearth said. “It’s hard right now because we are not in person practicing and us practicing in the summer as a team is what I believe made us great, we had that advantage.”
Last season, Dearth had 41 runners on the team and this season she has 46 — only six are juniors or seniors. Last season, Dearth lost five seniors and they all signed with colleges to continue their cross-country and track career — they guided the team to an eighth-place finish at the state meet.
“I am going to have a young team,” Dearth said. “But these girls are very talented and I know that we are going to have a great season again.”
The Rattlers’ Sidney Bravo is just as eager for the season to begin.
“I have been practicing on my own,” Bravo said. “This is my last year so I know I have to give it my best shot.”
Bravo has been on the varsity team since her freshman year and is looking to advance her running career after high school.
“Anything can change,” Bravo said. “If this cross-country season does not happen, I still have track, so I still have to keep running and training for that too.”
Upcoming junior and teammate, Danielle Salinas is following Bravo’s steps.
Salinas has been on varsity her freshman year.
“We are going to be a young team, it’s like starting all over again,” Salinas said. “But I know we will do better and once we come back together as a team we will work harder.”
Dearth and her team are looking to advance to state again this season.
Despite all the chaos and the postponing of the season, McAllen High boys head coach Loui Cantu is feeling confident regardless of the switch from being in District 30-6A last year to District 31-5A this upcoming school year. McAllen High won the district title last season.
“We are going to be competing with a lot of powerhouse schools,” Cantu said. “We are going to be going into a new district and I think it is going to be very challenging, but the kids are working hard regarding the situation that is going on. They are doing what they are supposed to be doing. We have a great team coming up.”
Three-year letterman Hunter Herrera, a former district champion and incoming senior, is taking advantage of the delayed start. Last season, Herrera won the individual District 30-6A championship, helping the team clinch the district championship.
“I think postponing the season is very beneficial,” Herrera said. “It gives us more time to prepare and that will bring us to what we want to do, which is go to regionals and state.”
Herrera has been practicing with teammate and another one of McHi’s top runners, Julio Alaniz.
“We get together and we run,” Hererra said. “We just practice and try to improve, especially since we are moving districts.”
Team bonding is important for the bulldogs.
“It also gives us more time to interact with all the incoming freshmen and try to get to know them,” Herrera said. “I think if we have a good team chemistry that we will do great.”