Girls X-Country’s senior night ends in defeat, but team remains upbeat

Newly inducted Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame member Michael Budd led his team of cross country girls to setting personal records and putting up a good performance against Longmeadow and Westfield.

Despite their loss, the Spartans’ Emily Baker, Hailey McCauley, and Alexis Oliveri set personal records, placing 13th, 17th, and 18th out of the entirety of about 30 girls.

The highest placed Spartan runner was junior Samantha Edwards, who placed 6th and ran a 7:34 mile pace for a total of 22:42 in her 3 mile run.

Following East Longmeadow’s meet Tuesday afternoon, the senior night celebration kicked off and everyone left in good spirits. 

Senior manager Lauren Condike, who runs track in the winter and spring seasons, was appreciative of being celebrated as a senior, but felt surreal.

“It hasn’t really set in that I’m a senior yet,” Condike said. “The more that the season progresses, and once indoor and outdoor track starts, it’s going to set in more, but right now it feels weird that I’m being celebrated as a senior.”

The girls and boys cross country teams, along with the help of their managers, parents, and friends, worked hard on multiple signs to make each and every senior feel loved.

It’s these types of acts that delight head coach Michael Budd, who has been coaching cross country at East Longmeadow since 1992.

“This is the most polite team we’ve ever had,” Budd said. “We want to represent the community and school in a proper manner.”

Budd’s impressive coaching career, including a “family highlight” in coaching his own daughter to a New England championship in the triple jump and state championship in the 200 meter dash, has had many amazing accomplishments, but he is most proud of his team’s four sportsmanship awards, the most recent one being from last spring in track and field.

Most of Budd’s cross country girls carry over into the winter and spring track and field seasons, which is something he prepares for in between the seasons.

“We applaud the girls that do all three seasons, and we try to give them a break in between in terms of training,” Budd said. “When they come to indoor track, we usually give them some time off or other types of dynamic exercises.”

These kinds of training changes don’t just happen in between seasons, but are actually something Budd tries to incorporate into training on a daily basis.

“Our training is so different from everybody else’s because we don’t do the same thing everyday,” Budd said. “Tomorrow they’re doing yoga, Thursday they’ll be in the weightroom, Friday we’re going to be doing some speed work and recovery work, and Saturday we’re going to do some hills. It varies and changes all the time.”

Junior cross country captain Emily Baker, who ran a 8:08 mile pace in her 3-mile run, believes these different practice regimens are a successful contribution to their performances so far.

“Honestly, this year, with the way practice has been switched up. All of us in every single meet have been PR-ing [personal record],” Baker said. “Another part of it is, we are so close and every single person knows everything about each other. We’re all really good friends and we push each other so much.”

Besides a dynamic practice regimen and team chemistry, a more simple strategy Budd uses to guide his team to victories is planning ahead of time for meets and communicating with his team.

“We always have a game plan going in,” Budd said. “A lot of people don’t understand that, but we use the whiteboard, especially when it’s championship time, to outline specifically what we want to do and accomplish.”

No matter how prepared the team is beforehand, there are always difficult parts in everyone’s run. However, one motivation that gets the girls through it is hearing their team cheer for them.

“Specifically at the end, it’s really motivating to hear people cheer for you,” Baker said. “Even if you feel the absolute worst, people cheering for you right at the end really pushes you.”

Reciprocating her support for her teammates, Baker added: “As for cheering for other people, I honestly just love the sportsmanship of the sport because even though it’s all individual, you’re doing it as a team. Everybody’s feeling the same enjoyment and pain as you, so it’s really nice; good bonding.”

Budd, Baker, and their team compete next on October 4th.