Cross Country Opens Fall Camp
8/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Aug. 19, 2010
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin cross country teams reported back to campus Thursday for the fall semester. A total of 21 athletes checked in Thursday and will begin workouts first thing Friday morning.
"I like getting everyone back together for the first time," SFA cross country coach Lou Snelling said. "I love the excitement for a new season and what we can accomplish. I look forward to the energy that comes from everybody getting to train together again instead of just working individually."
The Lumberjacks and Ladyjacks have 15 days to train together before their first scheduled competition, the Lumberjack Opener, on Sept. 3. This three-week period comes on the heels of what Snelling believes has been a strong summer regimen.
"It all starts with preparation," the coach said, "the things we need to take care of over the summer. If we're not taking care of business over the summer, then it makes it hard to do what we need to in the fall. But I don't have to worry much about that. I know my team, and they do a good job of keeping pace during the summer."
Snelling knows his team because it is comprised mostly of returning veterans. The Lumberjacks bring back six lettermen and two redshirt freshmen from the 2009 team. Added to the returnees are three incoming freshmen and a junior transfer.
Likewise, on the women's side, SFA returns six letterwinners -- including four seniors and a junior -- from a team that just missed capturing a Southland Conference Championship last season. And, as with the men's squad, four new faces -- three freshmen and a sophomore transfer -- will join the Ladyjack roster.
"We'll try to do as much educating as possible early on," Snelling said. "That means a lot of individual meetings, where we'll talk about training, goals and nutrition. Then we'll also try to do a lot of team-oriented activities in the first few weeks to really build that strong team environment."
-- SFA --
