While a lot has changed completely for students and athletes over the past six months with COVID-19, the effort during the summer from the Clarkston Everest Collegiate Girls Cross Country team has not changed.
Coach Mary Williams shared the team has grown and matured entering its fifth season and the summer mileage requirements to attend camp increased.

“This year the 16 camp attendees ran a collective 1,622 miles prior to camp beginning on July 22,” Williams said.
Throughout the summer, runners participated in strength training workouts as a team and logged miles individually or in small groups.
“As the camp date approached, it was hard to determine if the state would be in a phase that would allow for camps,” Williams said, adding in the final two weeks before camp she received confirmation hosting the camp was permissible within Michigan High School Athletic Association guidelines for cross country and the current guidelines for camps.
It wasn’t until the team was actually on the road they were confident nothing in the state’s regulations would change that would prohibit them from participating in the camp they had worked so hard to earn.
“The team talked about the protocols for workouts, completed all necessary screening, and put additional cleaning measures in place,” Williams shared. “At the end of the day, the camp was what it always is: an opportunity to spend time growing and bonding as a team, putting in some really solid workouts, and days full of laughter and fun.”
The team finished last fall claiming their first regional championship. After graduating six seniors last year, the team has three new freshmen and two new seniors to complete the team. They have goals to repeat their regional victory and claim their first Catholic High School League championship title which they narrowly lost last year.
“Ultimately, their real goals are about growing as a team and as individuals and run well while they do it,” Williams said.
She added the Mountaineers’ goals are achievable.
“Each year the group of girls impresses me more,” Williams said. “This group was fully prepared for camp, and it showed in their workouts. I completely rewrote the traditional camp workouts after I saw them complete their first workout. They are ready. We are going to do everything we can to have the best season possible amidst the current circumstances. Several of our larger meets have already been canceled, but we are going to work hard and make the most of it.”
The first practice for cross country around Michigan is Aug. 12.

  Clarkston Everest Collegiate, cross country, Everest