Featured Story
St. Luke's Cross Country Season Preview
The St Luke’s Cross Country team is looking to continue where they left off last fall with most of the team returning and the highest number of runners for opening day of preseason ever. Despite a number of injuries to key runners at the start of the last campaign, the Varsity Squad finished the season strong and are looking to build on that fine form.
Head Coach Corliss Spencer, encouraged by the large number of runners, is excited to have her coaching staff of Roger D’Agostin and Stephanie Bramlett return, remarking, “The runners feel a sense of continuity, which they like.”
At the heart of the program is a team philosophy, not always an easy thing to achieve in a sport where an individual’s time is key to success. Spencer is looking to lean on Captains Ian Smith ‘17 and Claire Wilson ‘18 who were two of the team’s top runners last year, to help guide the younger members of the squad. She said, “They have been attending cross country camps over the summer so hopefully they can bring some of their drills and knowledge back to St Luke’s. We will be looking to the captains to run the drills pre and post workout and really instill a team feeling to everything we do.”
The coaching staff have set a number of goals for the season with Spencer adding, “We always stress to the runners that even though we are functioning as a team and it’s a team-scoring event, they should all have personal goals, a certain 5k time, a certain place on the team or even a real simple goal such as staying injury free!”
One of the other core values of the program is good sportsmanship with the coaches making sure their runners always keep this at the forefront. Coach Spencer concluded, “When you finish the race, turn around and applaud the people coming in behind you—if a runner falls down you stop and pick them up. Be kind to your teammates, stay healthy and learn as much as you can!”
Cross Country’s opening FAA meet is Wednesday 9/14 at Sherwood Island State Park.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 40 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Leading with Humanity curriculum builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
