The boys and girls cross country teams have been using local roads and trails to practice everyday for years. These roads included North and South Four Bridges, Bartley Road and a couple others. This year, however, the teams are not allowed to step foot on the roads. 

The coaches have made road safety a priority for the teams. Every year, both coaches go over proper procedures for running on the roads. It is something the coaches take very seriously because of the potential danger. 

There have always been complaints from drivers and parents that the way practices are held are not safe enough. This year, after all the complaints, the last straw was drawn. An announcement was made to the teams that they will no longer be able to use the roads to run on anymore.  This made some of the runners frustrated. It was convenient for them to be able to go out for a run, come back and then leave right after, so why end it now if the program has been doing it for years? The teams have developed certain workouts and routines to do on the roads, such as long distance runs and hill workouts. These workouts help the team improve for their meets they participate in throughout the season. 

However, the school didn’t forget about the program. At first, the teams shared a bus with volleyball, field hockey and soccer teams. They were dropped off at their location, and then waited for some time after they were done running for a bus to show up. Now, a bus has been provided for only the XC runners. This allows the teams to get to places they want to run, without ever running on the roads or having to share a bus.

Even with the changes to their routines, the teams are still having successful seasons. Both the boys and girls look to take their talents to championships and bring medals back to West Morris.