With a new coach and many returning players from last year’s team, the Malibu High School Varsity Cross Country team is looking to make some noise in their 2010 season. After only losing one player from last year’s team (mainstay Gianna Fote graduated), the team is confident that their experience, new coaching and young talent will make this year’s squad very successful.
“We have a lot of youth, but good experience as well,” Head Coach Dino Quintanilla said.
Quintanilla, who is entering his first year at the helm of the Malibu High Cross Country team after taking over for last year’s Head Coach Corrine Berkeley, has stressed basic training pillars during practice. He has especially focused on developing leg strength, making sure runners are properly hydrated and finding safe places for the students to run for long distances. Finding safe routes to run has been particularly challenging for Quintanilla to accomplish.
“It’s hard to find safe routes to run in Malibu because a good portion of it is PCH and beaches,” he said.
In addition to adding a new head coach, the team also has a large number of freshmen that are already beginning to show promise. Freshmen runner Erik Rosenburg finished in the top quarter of his division of 300 freshmen male runners in the Seaside Invitational that took place on Sept. 10. Rosenburg is just one of the freshmen who the Sharks hope will be able to run well for them this year. However, with so many new faces, it has been somewhat difficult for the team to establish good chemistry and to bond as a group.
“We have a lot of returning players and a lot of new freshmen,” senior runner Sara Mohr said. “So the team is not as close as we used to be.”
Coach Quintanilla also agrees that the team still has some growing and bonding to do to achieve their goals.
“We are still growing and maturing as a team,” he said.
Returning runners from last year include seniors Mohr and Zach Hamilton, who look to be the top female and male runners on the team. Hamilton, who was last year’s top runner, finished in the middle of the pack in the Seaside Invitation in a division of 290 senior male runners. Hamilton completed a three-mile course (which is the average length of most cross country courses) in 18 minutes and 33 seconds.
While the boys team looks to have a sizable amount of runners and a good amount of talent, the girls team as of now only has three runners and their status remains up in the air in regard to how they will be able to run and compete.
However, the team will make due with what they have, and look forward to a new season with a new coach and a healthy combination of old and new faces. As far as goals for the season are concerned, Quintanilla said: “My goals for the season are to improve everyone’s health and fitness and to make running fun.”
The Sharks have already started their season with 10 runners participating in the Seaside Invitational and at the Oak Park invite.