Team of one
High school cross country combines the camaraderie of a team with individual achievement, but what happens when you’re a runner without a team?
You form your own.
Just ask Andrea Collins, who is the sole team member for the Liberty High School Lancers.
“I always knew other schools had cross country, and I thought it would be so fun to do it because I’ve always done distance in track,” Collins said. “Since our school didn’t have a team, I didn’t think I could do it.”
Collins wish of running for the Lancers came true last season, as she trained with the Freeman High School team while representing Liberty.
It proved to be a banner season, as Collins won the Bi-County championship, finished third at regionals, and topped off her first year in cross country with a ninth-place finish in the 1A/B state meet.
Coming off all this success however, Collins suddenly had to switch gears. The agreement between Freeman and Liberty high schools expired after last season, and the Lancers had to find another school where Collins could train.
“We called up Cheney (High School) and asked them if they would be willing to do this, and at first they didn’t want to,” said Liberty athletic director Nick Harkness. “We explained the circumstances a little more in detail and said here was a girl who had wanted to run cross country for four years.
“She didn’t have a program (at Liberty), ran last year at Freeman, and would they do it? They’ve been gracious in letting us do it this year.”
Despite not running in the Blackhawks program, Collins has proven to be a boost for Cheney.
“We’re thrilled to have her with us,” said Cheney head coach Jay Martin. “We were kind of disappointed for her she couldn’t continue at Freeman because it’s her senior year, but then we were thrilled to work with her because it wouldn’t matter what team she went on.
“She is a really friendly, outgoing, very positive gal. You want a hundred of her on your team.”
“I was really nervous and scared about changing,” Collins said. “I did well with Freeman. I didn’t want to change and have it not be as good, but all the kids have been so cool.
“I was overwhelmed with how many there were at first, but Coach Martin and (assistant) Coach (Joan) Hisaw have been so cool. They understand how hard to run us, and they always ask me how I do.
“He always tells me about the course and how hard to push myself against the competition.”
While Martin and his staff coach Collins during the week, the Cheney coaches usually can’t coach her during some of her meets because the Blackhawks are running at a different race from the Lancers.
“That’s the frustrating part,” Martin said. “There are some weekend invitationals that we do get to be together, but oftentimes she runs different days than we race, so we won’t get to see her during her dual meets.”
Which leaves Martin without a coach while she races. Well, almost.
“Her mom and her dad do that,” Harkness said. “The Bi-County athletic directors and their coaches know Andrea is pretty special to us. Wherever she goes, they know Andrea.
“They know she’s a Liberty runner, so they kind of take care of her. She’s kind of being coached by everybody essentially, which is a good feeling for me because she’s not being left out.”
“Coaches from so many different schools have congratulated me and been so positive with me,” Collins said. “There’s so many different parents, athletes and coaches who cheer for me at the races. It’s so cool.
“I don’t even know these people, and they’re so sweet.”
As for her final year of being the team of one from Liberty, Collins hopes to see that change for others in the very near future.
“I wish I could have that team experience, but it’s been just as cool being the one person representing my school. A lot of kids don’t do that. A lot of kids don’t step out of their comfort zone and go out on their own on this.
“I’ve tried to be really strong in this, and it’s been a great experience. … I hope kids want to start a team and be part of this experience, because it’s really cool.”