After the astounding 2023 Mayo girls cross country season, the team this year is taking on new challenges and going after new goals. After the departure of the former head coach Kristie Kinneberg the team welcomed two new head coaches, Coach Kyle and Coach Jones, who have the potential to bring a fresh new energy, plenty of experience, and a great deal of enthusiasm to the team. In the past, they had already been helping coach the team, stepping up into head coaches was an easy feat for them, and an easy adjustment for the team.
Some of the girls captains, seniors Geneva Cheney and Lillian Mills, have good insight into how the team is going. With both of their involvement in the Mayo’s Honor Society and the AP classes that they are in, they are a good addition to the team. As well as all their years of hard work they’ve put into the team, they are well deserving of becoming captains.
When first hearing of Coach K’s (Kinneberg’s) departure, Cheney took it really hard: “I was really sad because my first year on the team was with her as a coach, and I knew it would be weird having my last year without her as coach.” Mills felt much of the same thing but with a focus on the future, saying, “We were all a bit shocked and concerned how it would affect the team at first. We wanted to make sure the team environment and traditions would be able to continue even without Coach K there.” Even with the lingering doubt, the team had some high expectations for this year with the new head coaches.
A big difference in coaching that the team has noticed is their priority for team bonding; the coaches want the whole team to get to know each other and become comfortable with one another. Coach K was just focused on everyone individually, which was why she had connections with a lot of people. Coach Jones has said, “Prior to this year, Mayo Cross Country had the reputation of being a supportive environment. We have challenged athletes to grow that environment to include all athletes. We put a focus on being “lifelong” runners through smart training. We also work on training the mindset of runners.” The team is going to continue to grow and be inclusive for everyone involved.
With this season, the whole team, including the coaches and captains, is determined to put in the hard work and dedication it will take to accomplish all the goals they have set for themselves. No matter if it’s a local meet or a state championship, the team has confidence in their abilities and hopes to accomplish their dreams and aspirations with the new coaches.
