ROCKINGHAM – For the first time in recent memory, the Richmond Senior High School cross country program will have two head coaches.
Reggie Miller, a 10-year veteran, will lead the boys team, while Shellie Wimpey enters her first season at the helm of the girls team. Wimpey is not stranger to coaching at Richmond, as she’s served as the head volleyball coach the past six season. She’s also the pitching coach for the varsity softball team.
“When the opportunity came up to coach cross country, I took advantage of it,” Wimpey said. “It’s always been something I really enjoy — I run in my spare time. So, to be able to come out and try to help motivate young girls to do the same thing that I love is really great. I knew that volleyball would be left in great hands with Coach (Ashleigh) Larsen.
“I also ran cross country in high school,” she continued, adding that she pitched for Chowan University’s softball program from 2005 to 2009. “And as a physical education teacher, cardiovascular health is really important to me — and cross country is a great way to educate about that.”
Combined, there were 19 runners at Wednesday’s tryout at Hinson Lake in Rockingham, as 10 girls and nine boys ran a 3.2 mile race around the lake. The high school course includes a lap around the lake’s perimeter, but also goes off into the woods, as runners have to battle a series of hills in the process. As explained by the coaches, it was an opportunity for them to assess where each runner is physically ahead of the start of the season.
There are several returning runners this fall for Miller and Wimpey, as Joey Nicholson (junior), Carson Jordan (sophomore) and Airel Brown (junior) headline the teams. During Wednesday’s tryout, Nicholson posted the fastest time of 19:54, with Jordan not far behind at 21:22. Brown led the ladies with a final time of 24:45.
Airel Brown finishes her race during Wednesday’s tryout.
Other names that Miller and Wimpey said that they’ll keep their eyes on are Tyler Parker, Will Thompson, Timothy Powell, Josh Saillor, Gracelyn Weatherford, Sierra Ramsey, Allyson Leggett, Hannah Stewart and Abby Calhoun.
“Summer workouts have gone pretty good and we’ve been able to work around the dead periods and the weather,” Miller said. “We’re just trying to get the kids in and working hard, and trying to motivate them. It’s now official practices — and we have a lot of older kids and new kids running this year.
“We’re going over the basics with them right now,” he added. “We’re not expecting too much right now, but we are setting the bar (for this season) pretty high.”
Tryouts will continue Thursday at the high school, as Miller and Wimpey will integrate speed and endurance training into the workout regimen. Runners will run at different speeds at different intervals, and both coaches said it’ll be a much more intense training session. The teams’ first meet will be after the Labor Day holiday in September.
