The smiling faces and laughter tell you everything you need toknow about three senior runners who led Ball State's men's crosscountry team on the course. Seniors Steve Samuel, Aaron Hoover andSal Impellitteri have been members of the program for four yearsand said they have learned what it takes to be successful.
If you saw them walking down the sidewalk, you would probablysee an average individual. If you stopped and talked to them, theirattitude might be contagious and you would understand why the men'scross country team has the personality it does.
Like on almost every good team, this team is led by theirseniors. Student assistant Michael Johnson calls it a silent teamleadership in which each senior tries to lead by example.
Samuel said he believes it's important to try to teach freshmannot to be intimidated and to just go out and compete. Impellitterisaid he tries to teach discipline because the transition betweenhigh school and college can be overwhelming. By looking at what theseniors have done, the underclassmen can adjust easily, saidImpellitteri. Lastly, Hoover said that having fun is the mostimportant thing.
That notion of having fun comes not only at the athletic levelbut also at the social level for this team. These three seniorsfuel a great team personality that exists both on and off thecourse.
"We've got such a strong team bond as fas as we all clicktogether and just mesh real well," Hoover said. "Each and every guybrings their own personality and it's great."
The team spends the majority of their non-practice timetogether, because they occupy two houses on the same block.
"It's not like your nine to five job; we hang out outside ofpractice," Impellitteri said.
The experience the team has both on and off the course is amajor reason why Hoover, Samuel and Impellitteri describe the crosscountry experience as rewarding.
"That comes on a lot of levels, obviously; athletically, becauseyou get to meet your goals as far as the physical aspect, but thenalso mentally, we have a great time as a team," Hoover said.
Although the experience they have is rewarding, they and theirteam have also had to face their share of adversity.
Samuel, Hoover and Impellitteri have all had to battle injuriesduring their career. Currently, Impellitteri is recovering from ahip injury that has caused him to miss several meets thisseason.
"Time off is never good, you break your rythum," Impellitterisaid. "It's really hard some days. I won't lie: I'll get prettydown, but I just got to realize this is what we've been here forand what we came here for."
Beyond those hardships, the team was told it would be cut afterthis year's season, which was cause for many hard feelings. Headcoach Jermaine Jones said at the beginning of the season the teamtalked about the situation but has not revisited it since.
"We still have a season. We still have a complete season; acomplete year to compete. There's not going to be excuses for notdoing certain things that should be done both at practice and awayfrom practice," Jones said about the attitude the team took fromthat meeting.
"Personally, it was tough to get motivated this summer and evencoming in starting practices with the whole group," Samuel saidabout how he felt after hearing the team would be cut.
One thing that helped Samuel and the rest of the team overcomethe lack of motivation was the incoming freshman class.
"Personally (the freshman) came in with a lot of energy and justhaving a good time, and it was infecting," Samuel said. "It helpedmotivate me and energize me and get me excited about runningagain."
Hoover, Samuel and Impellitteri said they know first hand howrewarding the cross country experience is and through theirleadership they are trying to show the rest of the team howrewarding it can be.
"If you want a team and you want good leadership these woulddefinitely be guys I would like to have," Jones said.
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