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After sending two runners to the California Interscholastic Federation State Cross Country Championships last season, Hollister High’s cross country team hopes to build on that success this fall.
“Last season went pretty well,” senior and two-time CIF state finals qualifier Prienna Chavez said. “The group of girls I was with, we were all pushing each other, motivating each other, so I want to bring that into this cross country season.”
Chavez, who finished 45th out of 197 runners at the state meet with a time of 18 minutes, 20 seconds, said she has been running during the offseason and journaling about her runs and how she felt during them to better prepare for the upcoming season. She said she hopes to break her personal record of 17 minutes in a regular-season 5K meet.
“I love the whole cross country community,” Chavez said. “Everyone is so supportive and motivating of each other, and I also just love running longer distances. It actually brings so much joy and happiness.”
Fellow senior Andrew Parra, who also qualified for the CIF state finals last season, said that although he did fairly well, he struggled mentally and physically.
“This year, I am trying to have a positive mindset and trying to keep my body healthy,” Parra said.
Parra, who placed 122nd out of 202 runners with a time of 16:20 at the state meet, said he has been going on morning runs, weight training at least three times a week, working on mobility and journaling his runs throughout the offseason.
“I’m really hoping that we can develop a more competitive culture that will last for more years down the road,” Parra said. “I want our team to make state and even if we don’t, I want them to start to believe that they can make state in the future.”
Baler senior Luis Perez said he was disappointed in his performance last season.
“My season last year wasn’t the best in reality for me,” Perez said. “I think I could honestly have gone so much faster.”
Perez said he has been training extensively during the offseason to improve both personally and for the team. This season, he hopes to win the Central Coast Section championship and finish in the top five at the state championships. He also hopes the team earns all-league honors and advances to the state championships.
“I truly believe that this team will make all-league and we will win championships,” Perez said. “If our team can’t make state, I believe at least three or four of our guys will make state and be one of, if not, the best at state.”
Senior Michael Briano said he has been focusing on preparing mentally and physically for the upcoming season.
“Outside of practice, just keeping my mind up, keeping my sleep right, diet right,” Briano said. “Trying to do the best I can to keep myself as strong as how I feel.”
He said the team has been focused on bonding in the early days leading up to the season by training together and developing as a team.
“I really like my teammates and the teamwork we put in because it’s not like other sports where you need equipment,” Briano said. “You could all meet up and run whenever you want.”
Coach Ralph Chavez, a Hollister High alumnus and former cross country runner, is entering his 10th year as head coach of the cross country program.
“I have a passion for running and it’s something that’s been a part of my life since I’ve been eight years old, and so now this is my way of giving back to my community,” Chavez said.
He said that despite not having a summer conditioning program this year, the runners have been training individually during the offseason to stay in shape. He noted that the program has between 40 and 50 runners across its freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams, with seven girls and seven boys competing at the varsity level.
“Behind the scenes we utilize the weight room to build strength, their upper and lower body,” Chavez said. “We do a lot of mobility exercises, a lot of band work and resistance training to help build their tendons and ligaments and muscles.”
Chavez said the team goes through “prehab,” a workout targeting mobility, once a week.
“One of my athletes is very into yoga,” he said, “and so he has a specific routine that’s called yoga for runners, so he puts the whole team through that.”
Chavez said he spends a lot of time talking with the runners about maintaining a positive mentality throughout their long runs.
“Cross country is rewarding for me as a coach because I get such a great group of kids and they are always laughing and talking in a good way,” he said. “So I know that the culture we provide out here is working because they’re having fun.”
Chavez said he is looking forward to seeing the team develop over the course of the season and watching the runners achieve personal bests.
The Balers have their first preseason scrimmage meet on Aug. 26. at North County High School at 4 p.m.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour and Taylor Farms.
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