Cross Country

On a beautiful sunny afternoon or on a pouring rainy Saturday morning, you will find Coach Denis O’Sullivan and Ginny Baudinet rallying around a group of eager children, teaching them proper stretching techniques and preparing them for the sport of cross-country running. 

St. John the Evangelist School has been blessed by Mr. O’Sullivan and Mrs. Baudinet’s 20+ years of tireless volunteerism as coaches of the St. John School cross-country running team.  Mr. O’Sullivan created the program because he was determined to find a sport where every child could find success.  As Coach O says "It didn’t take a boat-load of money.  It only requires enthusiastic children and a pair of sneakers, period."  Cross-country running is defined as an outdoor race in which runners and their teams compete to finish the course in the fastest time over open or rough terrain. Coach O and Mrs. Baudinet encourage students to be healthy and develop a healthy lifestyle because "the sport is also about every child being physically fit and taking care of their health.  Kids compete against themselves to improve their times and their health. If we can do that we will have a great program”

Success as a St. John the Evangelist cross-country runner is simple.  The coaches have only four rules.  Coach O and Mrs. Baudinet remind everyone that it is important to:  "Eat good food, drink plenty of water, listen to your mother and father and get adequate sleep."  What do those rules have to do with running you may ask?  Everything!  Because what you do in sports should carry over into your personal life"

Components of cross-country running include distance training and keeping in good physical shape to tackle challenging courses each week.  But cross-country running at St. John the Evangelist School is so much more than that.  Our program encourages kids to work towards their personal best in everything they do.   All abilities are welcome on the St. John the Evangelist cross-country team.