The Niangua R-V School Cross Country season has started off strong despite the heat.
“It’s been super hot,” a sentiment shared by every outdoor sports Coach this season, including Coach Clint Gazette, Niangua R-V K-12 Principal, Athletic Director, and Cross Country Coach. “Our kids practice in the morning, so heat acclimation is difficult, but I do have one that plays baseball-Colten Kirksey so he is very heat acclimated. The heat races-he has cut 38 seconds off his best time.”
Despite the heat, and only having 2 high school runners, Coach Gazette isn’t letting the boys off the hook.
“We’ve been practicing for a 17 (minute)-they don’t necessarily know that,” shared Coach Gazette. “We have two all-state-quality runners- to me, they could both be first-team all-state; they both want to be sub-17.”
Coach Gazette’s goal is to help his team reach that goal.
“In our division, they placed 3rd and 4th at the last race,” Gazette shared regarding the Bolivar Meet. “It was a smaller track; you had to fight for a position, but our guys are literal runners-so they did great. I was really impressed.”
