Rockmart XC teams prep for new season
The Rockmart cross country teams just started with their summer conditioning ahead of the fall 2020 season.
Unlike other sports teams, cross country was not affected by the COVID-19 cancelling of spring trainings and tryouts. Over the past weeks, conditioning practices have been hosted at the downtown Seaborn Jones Park on the Silver Comet Trail.
Head coach Adam Blalock stated that he’s been impressed with the turnout. The teams have several strong returning runners, but is welcoming a big group of freshman to the program.
Looking forward to this fall, the teams will be competing in a new AAA region, but will still be participating in some of the same meets as past years.
“We don’t know what to expect from some of these new region teams, but we’re preparing now by building our mileage and strength,” Blalock said.
Overall for the season, though, both the girls and boys team have similar goals — a region title, advancing to the state championship meet and perform well at state.
Although these goals are the same for both teams, the boys team has a bigger challenge and goal to face as they didn’t place high enough at the region championship last year in order to have a chance to compete at the state meet.
“I think both teams have a really good chance this year. The girls’ team will be very strong, and I suspect the boys will be in the top four at the region meet,” Blalock said.
The teams will be losing a small group of seniors after this fall season — Dalton Sprayberry, Armand Morin,
Anthony Crowe and Andrew Bolton — but hope to see them performing well and getting the team ready for races before they go.
As of now, cross country’s fall schedule has not been postponed or altered. Rockmart’s first meet will be the Ridge Ferry Invitational on Aug. 20 at Ridge Ferry Park in Rome.
Look for more information to come on the two home meets Rockmart will be hosting. One is on Oct. 6 at Prospect Valley Golf Course and the other is scheduled for Oct. 10 at Nathan Dean Park.