Welcome and 2024 Information
BLACKMAN BLAZE CROSS COUNTRY IN THEIR 24TH SEASON
The 2024 Season marks the 24th season for the Blackman Blaze. It is an exciting time to be part of the cross country program. The team returns to competition seeking to take both the men and women to the State Meet in November. The 2023 season ended with both teams making it to the State Meet for the first time in 8 years.
This year’s team is lead by 9 seniors with Rylan Selvidge and Lydia Shafer out front. 6 of those seniors have returned to finish out their high school cross country career while 3 of the senior have joined us for the first time.
Along with the seniors we have 8 juniors, 12 sophomores, and 8 freshmen. Over the last few years since Coach Jeremy Selvidge has been part of the program, we have seen the team grow in number but also community. As another coach at Blackman said recently, “I don’t know of any other team at Blackman with better community than the Cross Country Team.” We take pride in that.
We are so thankful for the years of dedication that Jonathan Sutton our faculty advisor and former Head Coach gave to this program. He continues to help us and cheer for us behind the scenes. Along with Mr. Sutton, the coaching staff is made complete with Anna Brainerd who coached, previously at the Blackman Middle School and currently teaches at the High School with students, for whom English is not their first language. Kristie Selvidge has been part of coaching over the last several years and brings an essential component to the coaching team through the great ways she coaches the whole person. Steel Flynn rounds out the team as a highly competitive runner himself and very knowledgeable about running dynamics. We would not be the team we are today without this team.
This season will see the Blaze travel as far north as Mason, Ohio for the Mason XC Invitational and as far south as Danville, Alabama for the Jesse Owens Classic. They will travel as far East as Cookeville, Tennessee, for the Burnett Invitational. It will be a great season with a total of 9 competitions plus the State Meet for those who qualify.
Blackman Cross Country is a team with a place for anyone who is willing to dig deep and put out their best. Cross Country is one of the toughest sports out there. Athletes are called on to run 3.1 miles in their races. Coach Jeremy Selvidge often says, “We don’t bench athletes … they bench themselves.” If students come out and do the work, they will find themselves at the start line. Their resolve is what gets them to the finish line.
If you are interested in being part of an amazing community that coaches heart, soul, mind and strength … get ahold of us … we want you to face the challenge and realize … YOU … CAN … DO … IT!
Conditioning starts June 1st and runs throughout the summer. The season is built on the conditioning in the summer. If you are reading this and have never run, start somewhere. One athlete ran a tenth of a mile his first day of conditioning and he stopped, saying “I’m tired!” We encouraged him and at our opening race when he finished 3.1 miles … everyone celebrated.
Go Blaze!