Foggy mornings, 6 am bus rides, fruit snacks, and one tight AFS van. Nothing could dampen our team spirit as we stretched, made jokes, and laughed nervously before our races.
For the AFS cross country team, this season was about more than just running fast. It was about showing up for each other in the midst of change, finding the courage to try new things, and celebrating every finish, no matter the time or place.
From our very first two miler at Cherokee High School to leagues at Westtown, every hill climbed, every stride taken, and every split called echoed our team’s perseverance, connection, and growth.
This year, I wasn’t sure how the season was going to unfold, who was going to be my coach, or if we were even going to have a girls’ team. But we did, and although our team was small, we ran with the biggest heart.
We all took a leap of faith, anxious and full of butterflies. We all showed up to our first pre-season practice, and then we showed up, again, and again, and again. We made history across the board, from all-time team finishes to school records.
Roger Chen ‘28 raced to a 5th place at champs with a best time of 17:26. I placed 8th and marked the best top-10 result for an AFS runner since 1998.
A huge part of our team’s success was our new coaching staff, Masai Pines-Elliot and Kileigh Kane, who showed up and believed in us when sometimes we didn’t believe in ourselves.
From the very beginning in our season, Pines-Elliot and Kane understood that we lacked coaching stability, but they were there for us, an anchor to be counted on.
Henry Sylva ‘26 said, “minutes before the boys began our race at the Friends League Championship, we huddled up in a tight circle and Kileigh and Masai gave us words of encouragement, making us more confident for the race ahead.”
Emma Hacker ‘27, a new member of the team, said, “I remember feeling like I couldn’t do it, but all I had to do was look to the side to see I wasn’t alone, Masai was there, basically running with me.”
Moments like these weren’t rare. I’ll never forget how much I appreciated it when Kileigh stepped in once to pace me during a tough workout.
Their words of encouragement carried through every stride, a constant reminder that we were capable of far more than we believed.
This season, the boys came in 4th at the Friends School League Championship. The girls came in 5th.
Chen said this season he learned to “trust himself and believe in the race he is running in.”
A lot of our team growth can be attributed to our newest members, who were courageous enough to run when no one else would and be a part of a team that’s talked about less.
Pax Commons ‘27 said “At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to join, but being on such a tight knit team has led me to challenge myself.”
Jada Downs ‘29 said “During one particular race, I was really struggling toward the end. Then I saw Ani [Melzer-Surkan ‘28], she stayed by my side until the finish. She pushed me to my limit, held me accountable, and gave me a reason to keep fighting. Just having someone beside you means so much, more than I can explain.”
The big moments mattered, but what made us strongest was the smallest. Our team huddles before meets, and comforts each other at the start line, the finish line, during a hard workout, or during the even harder cool-downs. After practice, we’d all collapse in a circle, exchanging stories and jokes.
Maddox Rems ‘29 said, “Running with a group of people that I am comfortable with gives me a sense of community.”
The runs we had together as a team were the most memorable for me, even more than the fast workouts. Bonding together, in pain, in laughter, at the top of a hill, at the start of a hill: these are the memories we will all cherish forever. There is something very special about running; it has the ability to make you feel like you are a part of something bigger than yourself.
As we finish our final race at states and look towards the next season, we carry all the miles, lessons, and most importantly memories with us. We’ve laid the groundwork for more amazing seasons to come, and we can’t wait to see how far we’ll go.
baeleigh • Nov 12, 2025 at 11:30 am
During basketball practice, when we have to run, it always makes a huge difference for everyone to be energetic and push each other to our limits. Our coach always says, “You run as a team,” and I agree with that. It always helps me to push the person next to me and vice versa. Seeing someone running next to you and knowing they have your back does help a lot.
Jada Downs • Nov 12, 2025 at 8:38 am
Yassmine really emphasized the importance of the process rather than just the times. She also mentioned how difficult it was to keep going at times, but our small group and strong community got us through it. I can relate to her experience because I was part of the team like the time we got stuck in that cramped van for three hours. Like Yassmine said, our coaches, the same ones who first encouraged me to join XC, were always there for us. Before the finish line, I would always get jittery, but Masai was always reassuring, reminding me that everything would be okay and just to run. Cross country showed me what it feels like to hit rock bottom and still continue. For me it was by far the most physically and mentally challenging thing I’ve ever done. For indoor and outdoor track seasons, we share similar goals of building culture and community, and I truly believe we achieved that last year. Community is such an important foundation, it gives you someone to lean on even when things get tough.
Gabriel Anderson • Nov 11, 2025 at 12:06 pm
The people you interviewed all said they were scared or nervous or something similar. What really resonates with me, though, was that they all said it was made easier because the team/ the people around them helped bear the load, and helped each other persevere. Personally, I run track. I can understand the mental and physical commitment running takes, but the feeling of getting a hard workout done, improving your form, or seeing your times go down makes it all worth it. Athletics can do so much for a person. Athletics can teach people to be winners and give people a competitiveness they never knew they had. It can teach perseverance and the importance of patience, and teamwork. Cross country is interesting because on the course you’re running alone, chasing your goals, but everyone’s achievements add to the achievements of the team, and that’s how teams win. Cross country is the epitome of iron sharpening iron. The people/community you surround yourself with changes how you improve or if you even improve. They can be critical to your perseverance, let alone your successes.