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Girls go the (shorter) distance

Girls+go+the+%28shorter%29+distance

Running is running… Right? It doesn’t change based on race, age, gender, or favorite color; running will always be running.

Not exactly. Just like any other sport, Cross Country for girls is different than Cross Country for boys. But not in the switch order “contact vs. non-contact” or “how much padding you have to wear” sense that applies in sports like lacrosse or soccer. It is distance that makes the two different.

At the Cross Country FCIAC Championship, it is routine for the boys to race a 5k and the girls to race a 4k. However, at state level, both boys and girls compete a 5k. You would think that course distances would be constant throughout the season, but not in Connecticut. So, why do girls run a shorter distance at FCIACs?

The Girls’ Cross Country coach, Amanda Parrish said she views the reasoning behind this policy as “dated” and “antiquated.” When women were first eligible to compete in the Olympics, they were prohibited to run over 800 meters because of the worry that they would pass out or not be able to have children in the future.

“I just ran a marathon yesterday, and did not pass out. I also have many friends who have run marathons and had children, so obviously that thinking has been de-bunked,” Parrish said.

Members of the Staple Girls’ Cross Country team don’t let this policy faze them or influence the amount of passion and determination they have for the sport. In fact, it isn’t gender that determines how practice is organized,;it is skill level. “In training, the top group of boys and the top group of girls do the same workouts,” Parrish said.

In agreement with Parrish, one of the Girls’ Cross Country Team Captains, Kellen Smithson ’14 said, “Girls like Hannah DeBalsi ’16 who are really fast will run with the boys.”

All-American runner, DeBalsi, holds the national 2-mile record time of 10:16.20 for freshmen girls. She thrives for challenge and speed and has an incredible amount of talent. Practicing with the boys gives DeBalsi the opportunity to show what she’s made of.

Although there are girls who practice with the boys at practice, they are still mandated to compete a 4k at FCIACs. Student runner views on the 4k vs. 5k seem to be divided.

One runner on the Girls’ Cross Country team, Caroline O’Kane ’16, does not think the policy needs to be changed because, “boys are naturally stronger and at invitationals we run the same distances.”

Similarly to O’Kane, a runner for the Boys’ Cross Country team, Luis Cruz ’15 said, “Boys are just naturally stronger than girls, and it makes sense to separate them.”

Sexist is a word that comes to mind for some when looking into the policy and these people probably agree with Coach Parrish when she says, “I do think [the policy] should be changed, mostly because it sends a subtle message that girls can’t do as much as boys, when obviously that’s not true.”

The girls on the Staples Cross Country team don’t let the 1k difference get to their heads… or their feet. Keeping their confidence high, legs moving fast, and pony tails whipping through the air, the team ends its regular season undefeated.

Boys’ Cross Country runner, Oliver Hickson’15 said. “Regardless of the difference in distance, the girls did an amazing job at FCIACS, taking home second place.”

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Sarah Ellman, Staff Writer
Sarah Ellman ’15 can be seen on the sidelines of Staples football games, exciting the throngs of people with her cheers every Friday night during the fall. However, Ellman can also be found in the classroom, in room 2032, actively participating at the Staples High School newspaper, Inklings. The senior has always enjoyed writing, as a kid she would create her own picture books with folded 8x11 sheets of paper, but has also participated in cheerleading since eighth grade. This summer, she attended a summer journalism program at New York University, which she described as “really cool.” She felt she excelled writing pieces for Inklings that were more along the lines of features, and instead focused on a different type of writing. “The program taught me how to really write a news story and cover an actual event,” Ellman said. Ellman, a cheer captain this year, headed to a gymnastics camp this summer along with her teammates, in order to prepare for their upcoming season. She feels there is a certain connection between her sport and journalism. “You can’t be quiet with either of them, you have to be personable and loud.” She most enjoys meeting new people and getting to interact with the entire school.   With Inklings, she can achieve this with interviews, but she also entertains the students at sporting events. It is necessary to entertain and capture an audience in both instances and Ellman succeeds in all facets of the activities she participates in. She also engages in community service, including Saferides, an organization that provides rides home for teenagers on Saturday nights. As for Monday through Friday, Ellman can probably be found at Shake Shack, grabbing her favorite food (a cheeseburger) of which she proclaimed her love for. “My friends are legitimately concerned about me.”

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