海角直播

Publish Date: Dec. 22, 2022

Student athletes attending or planning to attend 海角直播 have a new option to choose from: cross-country running.

The team recently celebrated the success of its inaugural season, but for coaches Joshua Estrada and Gabriella Jimenez, the fun is just getting started.

鈥淭eam sports are essential to the college experience in the same way that building relationships is essential to the human experience,鈥� Jimenez explained. 鈥淭hese athletes learn so much about themselves and about life through the experience of running as a team.
鈥淎mong those experiences include working together as a group, building mental toughness, celebrating together and picking up other teammates after failures to motivate each other to do their best,鈥� she continued.

Another necessary contributing factor 鈥� helping to lessen the stress that can come with college life and create an overall positive experience for all who join, added Estrada.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important in creating what would be called a 鈥榤aster y atmosphere鈥� because this empowers and encourages the individual,鈥� he said.鈥淭his leads to a team-wide attribute, builds confidence, relatability, support and a healthy 鈥榝amily鈥� orientation while naturally becoming better at the sport due to the enjoyment.鈥�

Cross-country running was among programs CHC faculty and administration considered initiating before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, plans shifted when the Yucaipa-based college had to restrict in-person classes and switched to online learning due to the pandemic. But now that students have re-entered the classroom and athletes are able to return to normal sports activities, the opportunity to participate in cross-country has resumed, along with water polo and swimming.

Cross-country鈥檚 inaugural season took place during the fall semester with seven men and four women participating. In addition to a jam-packed practice schedule that can last up to two hours a day, runners took part in seven competitions in San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Redlands and Bakersfield.

Both coaches said the team鈥檚 inaugural season exceeded expectations, which 鈥渨ere to set the foundations of a solid sports program [with] effective, rigorous practices that led to a competitive season,鈥� Jimenez said. 鈥淭he group we had worked very well together and really set the tone for future groups as to what we expect of them as collegiate athletes.鈥�

Added Estrada,鈥淣eedless to say, the group has been a perfect team for the first year. Each individual meshed well and performed exceptionally well.We managed to [place] third for the men鈥檚 team, qualify for SoCal Regionals, as well as [see] one female [runner] move forward, and [watch] our lead males close in on an opportunity to go to state.鈥�

Both coaches are looking forward to year two and building on the team鈥檚 recent success. Best of all, cross-country athletes of all levels are encouraged to join and can do so by contacting Estrada by email at jestrada@craftonhills.edu. Plus, all who join will be coached by two athletes who understand the importance of hard work both in and outside of the classroom and who want to develop strong, well-rounded athletes of today and tomorrow.

鈥淲e look forward to seeing more student athletes join and become excited that there is a local cross-country program at the collegiate level as well as welcoming all athletic abilities,鈥� said Estrada.

鈥淥ur hope for the program is that it grows in the number of athletes and in our competitiveness amongst local schools and beyond,鈥� added Jimenez. 鈥淐oach Estrada and I are both very attentive coaches, and we want nothing more than for you students to succeed. Give the team a chance and you鈥檒l see the motivating, positive environment that is cross-country.鈥�