There are a number of well attended “spectator sports” in the Albert Lea area. I remember a number of winters ago when thousands came out to watch the Tigers varsity boys’ basketball team when playmaker Ben Woodside was wowing the crowds. I can also recall amazing community support for our wrestling teams, especially when they are contending with the Owatonna Huskies — literally thousands have come out winter evenings for those contests.  Also, there was an appeal to “fill the stands” several years ago when support was being sought for our soccer squad, and I know there have been homecoming football games where the stands have been filled to overflowing. I’ve also enjoyed girl’s volleyball games when there’s been terrific support.  

Have you ever considered cross country a “spectator sport?”  In last week’s USA Today newspaper, there was the story of a high school cross country team in Cary, North Carolina (Green Hope H.S.) which has 1,000 people from their town come cheer for their runners! 

Well, Thursday there is a tremendous opportunity for our community to support the Albert Lea Tiger Cross Country team at the section meet (state qualifying race) to be held just a few miles up the road in Owatonna. As it is held on a golf course, there’s no worrying about having a seat, nor is there an admission charge. It’s a beautiful location and since the 2.5 mile course for the girls and the 3.1 mile course for the boys goes over some of the same ground twice, you can stand in one spot and cheer for our runners at least twice in each of the races. Having run in more than 50 races myself, I can testify that having multitudes cheering for you can make all the difference in the world.

I have had an amazingly fun and fulfilling fall season volunteering for coach Jim Haney and coach Lonny Nelson with the Albert Lea cross country runners; working out with them daily and attending all their meets. This is one of the greatest groups of seventh through 12th graders I’ve ever met, who are participating in one of the greatest lifetime sports there is — running. Albert Lea has a great program with great leadership and great kids.  They are so worthy of our communities support; even if you’ve never even stopped to consider cross country as a spectator sport before now. 

Albert Lea has two exceptionally gifted runners who have a very good chance at qualifying for state Thursday. Senior Ethan Marquardt for the boy’s varsity and eighth grader, Chrissy Monson for the girl’s varsity.  There are also a host of other extremely dedicated and capable runners who will be giving this last meet of the year their very best effort as well. Many of these young men and women have been training since summer and all fall and have put in hundreds of miles in heat, humidity, rain, cold, mud, fog, drizzle, and gorgeous days as well, and come a very long way to the culmination of the season in this section meet Thursday.

May I please encourage all of you to take a short drive north to Owatonna this Thursday afternoon and enjoy some fresh air in a beautiful setting (rain or shine) and cheer on an amazingly exciting sport.  Our young men and women on the Albert Lea Cross Country team are worthy of your support and encouragement and they will be inspired by your cheering them on. Maybe a lot of them will find a new gear they’ve never had before and finish stronger and faster than ever.  We welcome you!

Race times Thursday for the Albert Lea Cross Country team sections (state qualifier) are: Varsity Girls 3:30 p.m., varsity boys 4 p.m. at the Brooktree Golf Course in Owatonna (Follow Rose Street to Crestview).  There is also a boys’ junior varsity race at 3 p.m. and girls’ junior varsity race at 4:30 p.m.