Cross Country: Team & Charms

XC Girls Varsity Team: Cali Townsend, Janie Beach-Verhey, Sydney Townsend, Susanna Goff, Lainey Johnston, Lily Kimbrough, Josie Mayo, Nora Price, get ready to race the Friday Night Lights Meet (09/05/25), Kernersville, NC. Photo Cred: Lauren Peviani 

Lauren Peviani, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn

Have you ever wondered about the power of Lucky Charms?— no, not the cereal with the little leprechauns, the token that athletes carry through games, matches, and meets. Many on the Watauga Cross Country team have different routines that get them from a spiral of doubt to the startling line, feeling ready to race. From bows placed in hair, to lucky socks slipped onto feet, they have tried it all. But when we asked what they valued the most, it was not the materialistic charms, but the trust and bond with their teammates.

“The main thing that we do before every single race is a tradition in our team called Callipygous. We chant, ‘Pain is weakness leaving the body,’ it has been in our team for years and years,” said senior Janie Beach-Verhey, Women’s Cross Country Team Captain.

Community is deeply cherished in this sport, as runners treasure these traditions that make the team feel like family. Not only that, these athletes are also placed in practice groups that are determined by their race-pace. So when the time comes to compete, they have friends who see their potential when they can’t see it in themselves.

“I try to focus on enjoying the moment and having fun with my friends,” said sophomore Cali Townsend.

This is an important reminder from the women’s leading champion, Cali Townsend. Kids don’t choose sports for the challenge– they pick the one that seems the most fun, the one they can do with their friends. Sports are based on shared values and traditions, and for the XC team, that includes passing around an unlikely object.

“So basically there’s a rubber rat. We call it Ratasha, and it’s a fun keep-away, competition tradition with the boys, and it brings us all together,” said Beach-Verhey. “But we also try to have it in our possession, because it’s like a good luck charm for whichever team has it in their possession.”

Cross Country is built on top of teammates rooting for each other’s success and the bonds created by the struggles that they overcome together. Even though the exercises are challenging, social life is not forgotten in their team. Upperclassmen take turns hosting pasta dinners at their house, allowing for the older and newer athletes to get to know one another.

“The pasta dinner is my favorite thing about cross country, because I like hanging out with everyone,” said sophomore Kate McKenzie, “Also, the desserts are amazing.”

Sports bring a lot of stress, and when students run competitively, they know it’s going to get uncomfortable. So these commitments to bond with teammates will make a difference in the long run— literally.

“It may seem like an individual sport, but it’s really not. Everyone has the same jersey on,” said Beach-Verhey.