Taking off: Carmichaels cross country program making strides
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Aislinn Linderman (left) and Camryn Lemley turn into the second mile in the 32nd annual A.J. Everhart Invitational held Sept. 23 at Penn State Fayette. Linderman finished in 79th place with a time of 30:39.20, while Lemley placed 86th in 32:58.4.
jim downey
Carmichaels’ Alexis Mori moves into the second mile of the 32nd annual A.J. Everhart Invitational held at Penn State Fayette on Sept. 23. Mori placed 89th with a time of 33:00.40.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels’ Nathan Bennett crosses the finish line in a time of 33:20.40 in the A.J. Everhart Invitational held on Sept. 23 at Penn State Fayette.
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu’s once stated “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
In the case of the nascent Carmichaels cross country team, that first step was the beginning of what hopes to be the growth of a new sport at the Greene County high school.
Liz Popielarcheck is the coach of the first-year team. She said the move to begin a cross country program began a year ago.
“A combination of many individuals was involved. This time last year I was begging one of the gym teachers at school how we could get a cross country team started,” said Popielarcheck. “I was just asking questions around campus and getting guidance from our principal and get a feel of the student interest in it.”
Popielarcheck turned for guidance from one of the area’s best programs and its veteran coach.
“My husband is a state trooper and he happens to know Tom Maher, who has kids that run in cross country (at Uniontown),” explained Popielarcheck. “In a roundabout way, once I got board approval in May, I started meeting up with the Uniotown cross country team.
“We were getting together at that point (Chef Joe’s Omelet Run in June). It’s a hodgepodge of kids.”
Popielarcheck continued, noting, “(Uniontown coach) Joe Everhart really helped me out. He brought me into his home and showed me everything there is possibly to know about cross country.
“He guided me through it. I’ve been pestering him with questions throughout the season.”
Everhart downplayed his role in the process, sharing the knowledge he’s amassed in his long tenure as the Red Raiders’ coach.
“We talked about getting things started, getting the parents involved and workouts, the basic things,” said Everhart.
Everhart was impressed with Popielarcheck’s attitude.
“She’s very enthusiastic. She has everything to be a great coach,” explained Everhart. “The small things will take care of themselves.
“I watched her Saturday (during the invitational. She was so encouraging.”
Though he had to do so, Everhart understands the demands in starting, and continuing, a cross country program.
“I was fortunate we had a program. I had my dad as my coach,” said Everhart. “She’s just starting fresh. I’m so excited to see cross country start new programs.
“They seem so eager.”
Since the PIAA is between its two-year classification realignment, Carmichaels is solely running an exhibition schedule and competing in select invitationals. The Mikes run along with Waynesburg Central and West Greene, the county’s other programs, in Section 3-AA meets.
Carmichaels competed in last weekend’s A.J. Everhart Invitational, hosted by Uniontown at Penn State Fayette.
The boys fielded only two runners with Landon Brown placing 138th in 30:15.20 and Nathan Bennett 138th in 33:20.40.
The girls ran a full team, finishing with 338 points. Aislinn Linderman was the top finisher, placing 79th in 30:39.20. The next five runners were bunched together with Abigail Cuppett (85, 32:48.60), Camryn Lemley (86, 32:58.4), Alexis Mori (89, 33:00.40), Alayna Simon (92, 33:19.20), and Ava Smith (93, 33:22.40) finishing within a minute of one another.
Suzann Oshetsky rounded out the finishers in 99th place with a time of 34:48.70.
Popielarcheck understands cross country is a demanding sport and takes a different type of individual and athlete to keep the program moving forward.
“The kids are getting to do something they’ve never done before,” said Popielarcheck. “Sometimes running isn’t fun. It hurts and you’re going to wish you weren’t doing it. You’ll be in so much pain, but it takes a certain kind of individual to persevere through that uncomfortable nonsense to keep going.
“That’s what it takes.”
Popielarcheck continued the thought, adding, “For you guys to go out there and do it when it hurts, and you come back and keep doing it over and over again, that takes character. When things are going wrong and you come out of that finish, who cares where you place.
“Success for them is at the end of the day they want to do it next year, a lot of team building.”
The coach says the squad has shown improvement.
“Absolutely (they are getting better). I wish people could see where we started. Some of these kids never ran before. Let’s just see what you can do,” said Popielarcheck. “Their goal is to beat their PR and so far, they’ve been improving all along. As long as they’re doing their best out there, they’re doing great.
“Honest, I just want the kids to enjoy it and do their best.”
Popielarcheck also want her squad to understand and appreciate their role is what she hopes will continue long into the future.
“Our scores don’t count, but it counts towards their legacy. They’re starting something our school has never had before, so they own that,” said Popielarcheck. “We have four seniors who will graduate this year. I tell them don’t let their legacy die with them. Go out and recruit.”