With a combined record of 26-2, Williston’s boys and girls cross country programs have set a championship pace this season.  Members of both teams say they have achieved this success through of a combination of supportive coaching, a team-first mentality, and a competitive, but healthy, environment.  Despite their impressive results this fall, the teams remain focused on running their best races at the New England Championships at Westminster this Saturday.

The boys team (14-1) has had a stellar season.  Head Coach Christa Talbot-Syfu, and assistant coaches Peter Gunn and Chris Pelliccia, have pushed the boys to work harder and test their limits, their athletes say.

One of the team’s star runners, Nick Hill ’17 of Northampton—who finished in the top three in six out of the eight races this fall—attributes much of his success to his coaches.

“I started to get more into running as my times got faster, and that was largely in part to Mrs. Talbot-Syfu because she pushed me to work harder,” he said.

Rob Champigny ’18 of East Longmeadow, also speaks very highly of his coaches.

“They know me really well, and they know the strategy I need to use to run well,” he said. “They are some of the best coaches I have ever had, and they know what I need to do to be at my best.”

Although he’s in his sophomore year, Mr. Champigny has finished in the top four in every race this season. He has five wins, one second-place finish, and one third-place finish. Perhaps the most impressive statistic of his brief running career is being ranked first all-time on the Boys Cross Country Honor Roll, a competitive list of all the Williston runners.  He expects to see even more success during his next two years on the team, but for now he is focused on bringing home silverware from New Englands.

The team’s “main goal at the beginning of the season was to win New Englands,” Mr. Champigny said. Both the boys and girls teams are determined to do just that.

The girls team is heading into New Englands with a 12-1 record.  The positive environment, fostered by Coach Tuleja, has helped his runners push their limits as well.  Maddy Scott and Maya Soley currently sit third and fourth on the honor roll, and at the Six Schools Meet this past weekend, 11 runners posted their personal best times.

“Mr. Tuleja has done the most incredible job in preparing us emotionally, physically and mentally for race day,” Ms. Scott said. “He is very enthusiastic and loves to get us jazzed in any way possible. Each time that we get a PR, he makes laminated cards to celebrate those achievements.”

“Although many people think cross country is only an individual sport,” she added, “we have learned that while one person may win the race, we cannot win as a team without everyone trying their absolute best. I push myself to the max because I want to do it for the team and for Mr. T, who is such an inspiring coach.”

In addition to the coaching, the students attribute their team’s success to their team-first mentality. Scott, Soley, Elin Blomquist, and Caroline Borden have combined for many of Williston’s top place finishes this fall.

Ms. Borden, who is new to the sport, has excelled over the past months.  She currently has five race wins and sits second all-time on the team’s honor roll.  She attributes much of her success to strong team spirit.

“We have really great captains who are great leaders,” she said. “I try to get my teammates to feel good about practicing so they give their all; I try to lead by example by giving 100 percent…When I run, I think about the team and that helps me perform at my best. We all keep pushing each other and everyone is so supportive.”

Healthy competition has also been hallmark of both programs this season. Good friends, Mr. Champigny and Mr. Hill have been pushing each other for the past two years.

“We are really good friends, but we are both competitors and neither of us like losing,” Mr. Champigny said of Mr. Hill. “Last year he was behind me by 40 seconds, but this year he has beaten me in a couple of races. He is a very good competitor, and we continuously push each other to be the best we can, and that pushes the other runners behind us to be the best they can be. We are both trying to be that number one and two spot on the honor roll.”

Mr. Hill describes his friendship with Mr. Champigny in a similar way: “I wanted to run with Rob this year, so I worked hard this summer to push myself and to push him as well.  Our teammates have worked hard to follow us as well. What really matters is that we work well together and we have great races.”

Both teams worked exceptionally hard this summer to prepare for the season.  Mr. Hill accumulated over 400 miles running around Northampton from June to August!   Some of his longest workouts reached the 13-mile mark. Clearly, he was preparing himself and the team for a breakout season.

“I hate listening to music when I run, so I just thought about my goals for the season, where my times should be, and what the team could do,” he said. “I wanted to get in the low 16s, and I am already there. Now I am working on achieving my breakthrough goal which is to be first on the honor roll.  I also want the team to win New Englands because we have never won it before…All of the hard work this summer was absolutely worth it.  Every single time I go out and run it is so much easier and more pleasant.”

In addition to his season accolades mentioned above, Mr. Hill is third all-time on the Williston Cross Country Honor Roll, and he continues to finish among the fastest runners in each race.

Many members of the girls team also ran together this summer, where they were able to forge a strong work ethic and build camaraderie. Ms. Scott shared her summer training program: “Over the summer, Mr. T gave us a rough training schedule to build a base to begin the season. Our captains live in the area and often held practices for any runners that are around.”

This weekend is shaping up to be an exciting time for Williston’s cross country programs.  Let’s all cheer them on from campus this Saturday and hope that their seasons will end with a championship.