Taking off: Carmichaels cross country program making strides
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Aislinn Linderman (left) and Camryn Lemley turn into the second mile in the 32nd annual A.J. Everhart Invitational held Sept. 23 at Penn State Fayette. Linderman finished in 79th place with a time of 30:39.20, while Lemley placed 86th in 32:58.4.
jim downey
Carmichaels鈥� Alexis Mori moves into the second mile of the 32nd annual A.J. Everhart Invitational held at Penn State Fayette on Sept. 23. Mori placed 89th with a time of 33:00.40.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Carmichaels鈥� Nathan Bennett crosses the finish line in a time of 33:20.40 in the A.J. Everhart Invitational held on Sept. 23 at Penn State Fayette.
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu鈥檚 once stated 鈥淎 journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.鈥�
In the case of the nascent Carmichaels cross country team, that first step was the beginning of what hopes to be the growth of a new sport at the Greene County high school.
Liz Popielarcheck is the coach of the first-year team. She said the move to begin a cross country program began a year ago.
鈥淎 combination of many individuals was involved. This time last year I was begging one of the gym teachers at school how we could get a cross country team started,鈥� said Popielarcheck. 鈥淚 was just asking questions around campus and getting guidance from our principal and get a feel of the student interest in it.鈥�
Popielarcheck turned for guidance from one of the area鈥檚 best programs and its veteran coach.
鈥淢y husband is a state trooper and he happens to know Tom Maher, who has kids that run in cross country (at Uniontown),鈥� explained Popielarcheck. 鈥淚n a roundabout way, once I got board approval in May, I started meeting up with the Uniotown cross country team.
鈥淲e were getting together at that point (Chef Joe鈥檚 Omelet Run in June). It鈥檚 a hodgepodge of kids.鈥�
Popielarcheck continued, noting, 鈥�(Uniontown coach) Joe Everhart really helped me out. He brought me into his home and showed me everything there is possibly to know about cross country.
鈥淗e guided me through it. I鈥檝e been pestering him with questions throughout the season.鈥�
Everhart downplayed his role in the process, sharing the knowledge he鈥檚 amassed in his long tenure as the Red Raiders鈥� coach.
鈥淲e talked about getting things started, getting the parents involved and workouts, the basic things,鈥� said Everhart.
Everhart was impressed with Popielarcheck鈥檚 attitude.
鈥淪he鈥檚 very enthusiastic. She has everything to be a great coach,鈥� explained Everhart. 鈥淭he small things will take care of themselves.
鈥淚 watched her Saturday (during the invitational. She was so encouraging.鈥�
Though he had to do so, Everhart understands the demands in starting, and continuing, a cross country program.
鈥淚 was fortunate we had a program. I had my dad as my coach,鈥� said Everhart. 鈥淪he鈥檚 just starting fresh. I鈥檓 so excited to see cross country start new programs.
鈥淭hey seem so eager.鈥�
Since the PIAA is between its two-year classification realignment, Carmichaels is solely running an exhibition schedule and competing in select invitationals. The Mikes run along with Waynesburg Central and West Greene, the county鈥檚 other programs, in Section 3-AA meets.
Carmichaels competed in last weekend鈥檚 A.J. Everhart Invitational, hosted by Uniontown at Penn State Fayette.
The boys fielded only two runners with Landon Brown placing 138th in 30:15.20 and Nathan Bennett 138th in 33:20.40.
The girls ran a full team, finishing with 338 points. Aislinn Linderman was the top finisher, placing 79th in 30:39.20. The next five runners were bunched together with Abigail Cuppett (85, 32:48.60), Camryn Lemley (86, 32:58.4), Alexis Mori (89, 33:00.40), Alayna Simon (92, 33:19.20), and Ava Smith (93, 33:22.40) finishing within a minute of one another.
Suzann Oshetsky rounded out the finishers in 99th place with a time of 34:48.70.
Popielarcheck understands cross country is a demanding sport and takes a different type of individual and athlete to keep the program moving forward.
鈥淭he kids are getting to do something they鈥檝e never done before,鈥� said Popielarcheck. 鈥淪ometimes running isn鈥檛 fun. It hurts and you鈥檙e going to wish you weren鈥檛 doing it. You鈥檒l be in so much pain, but it takes a certain kind of individual to persevere through that uncomfortable nonsense to keep going.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what it takes.鈥�
Popielarcheck continued the thought, adding, 鈥淔or you guys to go out there and do it when it hurts, and you come back and keep doing it over and over again, that takes character. When things are going wrong and you come out of that finish, who cares where you place.
鈥淪uccess for them is at the end of the day they want to do it next year, a lot of team building.鈥�
The coach says the squad has shown improvement.
鈥淎bsolutely (they are getting better). I wish people could see where we started. Some of these kids never ran before. Let鈥檚 just see what you can do,鈥� said Popielarcheck. 鈥淭heir goal is to beat their PR and so far, they鈥檝e been improving all along. As long as they鈥檙e doing their best out there, they鈥檙e doing great.
鈥淗onest, I just want the kids to enjoy it and do their best.鈥�
Popielarcheck also want her squad to understand and appreciate their role is what she hopes will continue long into the future.
鈥淥ur scores don鈥檛 count, but it counts towards their legacy. They鈥檙e starting something our school has never had before, so they own that,鈥� said Popielarcheck. 鈥淲e have four seniors who will graduate this year. I tell them don鈥檛 let their legacy die with them. Go out and recruit.鈥�