Displaying items by tag: Cross Country

Friday, 20 December 2019 10:12

Saratoga Springs Kinetic Team Takes First in Nike Cross Nationals

PORTLAND, OR. — On Saturday, December 7, Saratoga Springs cross country team, Kinetic XC, took the win against 21 other teams in the 5,000 meter race, a huge feat for the young team. Kinetic is coached by Art and Linda Kranick, who the girls had plenty of nice things to say about.

Though the Kranicks’ coaching style was described as “different” the seven girls on Kinetic XC say they are both really amazing and they couldn’t have succeeded without them.

“It was an amazing win,” Linda Kranick said, “usually you win by 5 points.”

Kinetic XC scored 78 points.

“They just knocked it out of the park,” she continued.

“It was an amazing experience to go and represent our school,” eighth-grader Emily Bush said.

“I remember in the beginning of the year they [the Kranicks’] said we were going to make podium and I didn’t really believe them,” reminisced Ella Kurto, a sophomore.

“It was a muddy, messy race and they didn’t let that affect them at all. They were very focused the whole time and they work very well together,” Kranick remarked. The girls remained focused by staying positive and being as encouraging of each other as possible.

Congratulations, Kinetic XC!

Published in Sports

Grace O'Reilly: Athlete of the Week

Photos provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Catholic’s Junior athlete Grace O’Reilly takes the values instilled in her at home onto the playing fields.

“I grew up in a family of three kids…both my parents played sports in high school. It’s in the family,” said O’Reilly.

O’Reilly participates in cross-country, track and field, volleyball, basketball and softball. Her father is also the Varsity coach for Spa Catholic’s softball team, of which both O’Reilly and her sister are players for.

Sometimes being the coach’s kid isn’t easy as the standards her father sets for her at home are also expected of her on the field.

“He (her father) knows me at home, so he knows the potential I have in the sports that I play, so he pushes me that much harder,” said O’ Reilly. “He does it with my sister, also. He knows our potential and he wants us to succeed.”

After some deliberation, O’Reilly would say that Yankee’s Derek Jeter would be her favorite athlete because she believes him to be a humble as well as a phenomenal athlete.

“He reminds me of the morals in my family, which are faith, courage, and strength. My dad has engraved that into the family - into our daily lives,” said O’Reilly.

Faith, courage, and strength are certainly at the forefront of the O’Reilly family’s minds, and it is evident in the way 17-year-old O’Reilly believes her parents to be the biggest inspiration in sports and in life.

“They’re (her parents) both constantly working and providing for us. They take time out of their day to make sure that we’re okay, to make sure that we’re happy. Even if they’re not happy.”

O’Reilly’s favorite sport is volleyball, and it’s because she enjoys being an independent part of a team, where each player has their part to assist each other in reaching an overall success.

Much like on a sports team, a family operates the same way. O’Reilly notices that balancing school work and sports can be challenging, but with her family's support, she is able to flourish.

“My family supports me a lot so they can tell when I’m feeling down and they’ll say ‘hey, you need a mental day, or you need to not go to practice.”

For O’Reilly, family and fitness are one in the same. She hopes to continue to be a part of teams through college.

Published in Sports