Cross Country Season Preview: Young Vaqs Aim to Maximize Potential

SANTA BARBARA, CA – The SBCC cross country team is set to begin its 2022 season on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the UC Riverside Agricultural Course.

Head coach Scott Fickerson's 2022 squad consists of three runners. On the men's side, it will be Santa Barbara county natives Samuel Buenaventura and Bennett Christensen. The Vaqueros' lone representative on the women's side is Sage Holter out of Hailey, Indiana.

"Sage is a fairly inexperienced runner competitively speaking, but has a background in other sports. I expect she will excel on the more challenging courses we encounter this season," Fickerson said. "The men each bring different elements of strength to the table. It remains to be seen exactly where they will excel. I look forward to seeing them develop over the course of the season."

Factoring into the question of experience is the fact that all three runners are in their freshman year. Development will be the key for this team, which Fickerson has stated has one main rule: to learn and improve with every single run.

"I'm really trying to impart on the team that every opportunity we have to practice and race is an opportunity to learn and grow as runner," he said. "If we can improve upon our strengths and learn from our mistakes, we will continually get faster and will race our best at the end of the season when it matters the most."

Fickerson's also stated that his primary goals for the Vaqueros will be to maximize their potential and to qualify every runner for the State Championships. On Saturday morning, they will get their chance to officially start down the path of progress they hope will end with postseason action in November.

"The team is working hard and is really committed to success. I really appreciate their commitment and I'm enjoying working with them. I look forward to seeing them run well this season!"