Every day, people must overcome their challenges to succeed in their goals. For Fallon’s Cross Country Team, the challenge was embracing more competition, intensity, and pressure. But the Cross Country Team didn’t fear it, and they didn’t break against the pressure. They succeeded.
After many tiring years of COVID, Fallon Middle School’s Athletics Department decided to try something that hadn’t been done in a long time. For the last meet, the Meet of Champions, the Athletic Department decided to bring in more competition, which meant challenging cross-town rivals, Wells, and other teams in Pleasanton. “This made the race more meaningful and exciting for our runners,” says Mr. Manalac, one of the amazing head coaches of the Cross Country Team. With more dynamic athletes entering the meets, the belief that the Fallon Cross Country Team would break from the pressure arose, but they didn’t. With the friendships and bonds the teammates created, the team knew they couldn’t let each other down.
“It was different than we’d seen it. We had a lot of new sixth graders on the team this year. We [also] had a smaller eighth and seventh-grade group,” says Mr. Voeller, another Cross Country coach. Awareness quickly arose that without enough experienced members, who have model charisma and leadership skills, Fallon could possibly lack skill in the meet. However, a few selected seventh and eighth graders rose to the challenge. Eighth graders, Shreya Bansal, and Benjamin Wilson, and seventh graders Dylan Fogt, Kevin Lu, and Mabel Gonzales are a few leaders of this year’s Cross Country team.
Seventh grader Kevin Lu says, “Being team captain for our school’s cross country team was a wonderful experience. Our grade level heats had a great time competing with several other schools. During our meets, we excelled, and every single one of us put in effort. Many of us kept running even though we were exhausted…During the Meet of Champions, our cross country team heats did their best and made their way to the lead.”
Eighth grader, Benjamin Wilson recollects about in-season meets, “Overall, regular meets were very brief, as we only had two. However, the team was great, winning most of the heats… What was most important was that we all had a great time and won. That’s most important.”
Seventh grader Dylan Fogt had an exciting time being captain for the first time this year. She felt like there were multiple difficulties in competitions, like in the meet at Wells, where their track wasn’t a full mile and they had to run on stairs! But in the midst of complications, she found peace with her achievements. “One of my achievements was taking first at the Meet of Champions. I couldn’t have done it without my team and coaches supporting me.”
Without a doubt, the whole team was able to come together and bring in the effort to do their best! At the Meet of Champions held at Dublin High School, our very own Fallon team proved that they were the best. Mr. Manalac refers back to this monumental moment, “Our students did really well in our last race. Our sixth-grade boys came in second, while our sixth-grade girls came in third. Our seventh and eighth-grade boys also came in second this year, while our seventh and eighth-grade girls struck home first place!”
Although running may be tiresome, the kids in Cross Country give it their all, because they love the sport. These students exemplify societal change, pushing themselves to their full potential while running together as a team. Go Mustangs!
