First-time cross country coach Mr. Brian McGee started out the season strong. The Blazers had their first meet on September 4 and all teams did well. 

“ It’s amazing,” Coach McGee said about coaching the runners this fall. “It feels like an honor, because of the quality of kids we’re coaching. They work so hard, they support and love each other, it’s a true team.”

Most known for leading the track team as the head coach for 17 years on the boys side, but didn’t step into the cross country team role until this season. McGee said this year he is an interim head coach.

“I hope to stay on as an assistant coach in the future. It’s a program I’ve wanted to be a part of for a while. I really respect it, the work ethic and mentality of the athletes and I also think it’s great to bridge cross country and track together as often as possible.” Coach McGee said.

Although there are some similarities between the track and cross country programs, McGee sees the differences as well.

“It’s totally different in a lot of ways and then there are some similarities, but I would say the biggest difference is everyone is running the same event, everyone’s doing the same thing,” Coach McGee said.

Along with a new coach this year, the cross country team also has another new special member: the new GEHS cross country course, established in 2021 with the help of Mr. Walt Cochran. The length of the course is really only two miles, but it’s the first time GEHS has had its own course. Coach McGee was asked about the upkeep, and if GEHS would ever hold a meet there.

“I think the course will be great for the community to be able to come out and use it whenever they want, it will be great for our runners on campus to have a grass option as well,” Coach McGee said. “It would be complicated to hold a high school meet there because of our desired distance, but I’m not going to say no.”

He also mentioned that the course will soon probably have a sign sometime and is open to the community as well. It is located around the high school, wrapping around the pond on Waverly Road near the high school’s main entrance. The grass there has been mowed to support the cause.

All the coaches and athletes have high hopes for the course in the future, from what we’ve seen so far it looks like that some of those hopes might be fulfilled.

You can follow the progress of the runners by following the GE Blazers T&F Twitter page at @blazerstf.