Roland Public Schools will add a cross country program this fall, and Lady Rangers track coach Tina Ramos will coach the newlyformed program.

“It’s actually very exciting with this being the first year of starting it,” Ramos said. “I guess I am a part of making (Roland High School) history. I’m very excited about this opportunity.”

There already has been some interest shown by potential Roland runners.

“We have a few kids that are interested in distance running,” Ramos said. “I anticipate we won’t have a humongous group at first, but I think it will grow on some kids. We may have more come out than what I think.”

It was those same kids that had already heard that such a program was likely to be created for this upcoming school year.

“They were excited,” Ramos said. “There were a couple of them that heard through the grapevine that we were going to start it, and they were like, ‘That sounds like fun. I enjoy running on my own and that’s something I can participate in.’ A couple of our boys kind of run on their own a little bit. They’re all excited about it.”

Ramos is quick to point out that cross country will help the RHS track program, and vice versa.

“There are those kids who like running further distances who don’t like sprinting, and there are those sprinters who don’t like running long distances,” she said. “It really is two different dynamics, but those kids who do like to run and are disciplined to go run on their own will really enjoy doing that. This (new cross country program) will give them an outlet where they can just focus on them. Everything is on that one race. That highlights those kids who are interested in running those distance races a lot more.”

The newly-formed cross country program will provide one more athletic program this fall that wasn’t in place previously.

“You have those kids who just specialize in running,” Ramos said. “They don’t play football or basketball. They just look forward to that springtime. Now, those kids will have two options now — they can run in the spring and in the fall. Know for a fact that it’s exciting for them because that showcases them a little bit more, and it will give our kids at school other options of something else to participate in that what we already offer.”