Despite the departure of their beloved head coach, Luciano Fiore, the Masters cross country team has defied all odds, rising above the challenges and growing into a force to be reckoned with. Through unwavering determination and a shared passion for running, the team has transformed this setback into stepping stones.
Last year, Coach Fiore announced he was joining a professional track team in Atlanta: Atlanta Track Club Elite. He signed a contract with Adidas and will continue his running career with hopes to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games. It was difficult for the team to process the loss, but they are ultimately proud of him and are rooting for him in the next stage of his career.
Throughout the course of the season, the team came to realize that their coach was moving on, and it was time for them to do the same.
Team captain, Charlie Milward ‘24, said, “It motivated everyone to try and show him the best that they could do before he left. Now that he has left, I think we all run for him.”
Transitioning to running for their new head coach, Ben Allen was seamless. Last year he was the assistant coach.
Coach Allen has focused on fostering a positive and supportive team environment by highlighting individuals who lead by example in ways they hope will be contagious to the rest of the team. He said, “Students can lead by example by being committed, goal-oriented, having a positive attitude, grit, and discipline.”
One individual accomplishment was Tozai Kawabata ‘25 breaking 18 minutes with a time of 17:25 in the 5k distance, followed by Liam Chappelear ‘27, Jamie Milward ‘26, and Charlie Milward ‘24. Also, Lainey Spencer finished 2nd at the Hamden Hall meet in her first 5k of the season.
At their first, second, and most recent meet, the team placed second, and were only five points behind the first place team, Hopkins. Even though the senior runners expressed their sadness about leaving next year they are excited for the team’s bright future.
Senior team captain, Nathan Lothian ‘24, said, “Our top seven runners are all underclassmen, so we’re just as excited for the upcoming years.”
The team’s primary objective is to consistently challenge themselves and motivate each other to ultimately secure the FAA Championships. Coach Allen believes the team will win the FAA championships, or at least finish in the top two, since they have made big improvements. Allen said, “I want to build a competitive cross country team and also teach life lessons through cross country.”
Lothian advises those considering joining to not be afraid to join the team and acknowledges that it may seem hard, but that it’s one of the most connected, tightly-knit teams at Masters.
Despite there being fewer girls on the team, they still feel included and a vital part of this strong and united group, led by captain, Lainey Spencer.
When Lothian first joined the team, he hated running; however, as time went on, he fell in love with it. Although cross-country running is seen as a very individual sport, he has bonded with his teammates, and it felt like they were all running and struggling together.
