Finding themselves
Navajo Pine junior Terrence Lee sprints to the finish line during the Class 2A state cross-country meet. Lee placed first overall with a time of 17:21.70 and led his team to its 5th state title. (Times photo – Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi)
ABOVE: Navajo Pine junior Terrence Lee sprints to the finish line during the Class 2A state cross-country meet. Lee placed first overall with a time of 17:21.70 and led his team to its 5th state title. (Times photo – Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi)
Navajo Pine boys had to search within to win Class 2A title
RIO RANCHO, N.M.
For the last four months, Navajo Pine has focused on chemistry, family, school and trust.
With up-and-down seasons since their last state title in 2008 and having gone through a number of head coaches, the team needed revamping.
Under first-year head coach Brandon Leslie the boys got the makeover they needed along with 37 points to win their first Class 2A state title at the New Mexico state cross-country meet in Rio Rancho on Nov. 8.
Leslie said while the training was valuable, their progress as students and people contributed to their success.
“There was a lot of things that we had to really focus on as far as discipline,” he said. “Making them understand that they got to be a student first, the athlete will pretty much take care of itself.”
Leslie won four state titles with the Bengals from 1991-94. As a track athlete he won six individual state titles.
Leslie said when he took over the team he saw that they needed motivation and confidence, so he shared his triumphs and struggles as a long-time runner and that seemed to give them the jolt they needed.
“What I’ve done, the sacrifices that I made and where it took me and what it got for me, especially my high school running accomplishments not only individually but mainly my team,” he said. “This is what we needed to do was to gel these kids together as a team.”
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow