With the upcoming season right around the corner, Boss Cross, the Steinbrenner Boys Cross Country team, took time out of their summer and helped the community instead of training. Their head coach, who wanted to remain anonymous, praised his seniors, Anthony Campbell, Ian Campbell and Mark Payne, just to name a few for getting the team together and finding opportunities to help with the community.
Some of the different community services they did this past summer was adopting two elementary schools. One of the schools they adopted was Riverhills Elementary, where the boys helped create a clothes closet for the students that could not afford uniforms. They will also help out with the schools two biggest events, their Fall Carnival and then a similar fun night later in the year.
The other school Boss Cross adopted was Forest Hills Elementary, where they also helped with the clothing and school supplies closet. The head coach claims that all of his runners are college bound but he wants his runners to be looked up to in the community just like people look up to Tampa Bay Rays Pitcher, Chris Archer, who is a big figure in the Tampa Bay community.
“As a team, you can have a great effect when you bring a whole bunch of people together and you go out and try and help out others,” said the head coach.
When I asked the coach if this is going to become a tradition with Boss Cross or just a one-time summer thing, he immediately said that it will be a requirement for his runners to help out in the community in some way because he does not wants his runners to become hot-headed like most professional and college athletes become. The head coach is definitely setting his runners on the right track not only for the season, but for life as well. Although he is the head coach, he wants no credit given to him, and wants all the credit going to his seniors. Good luck to Boss Cross this season and may they continue to have a strong influence within the community.
Fernando Mallicote//Staff Writer
