The whole reason we randomly draw a name out of bucket and spin a goofy wheel, is to show that the biggest schools aren’t the only places to find a good story.

In fact, at Churchville-Chili we found the exact opposite.

The Saints girls cross country team only has 10 runners. It maybe the smallest team in Monroe county.

But you know the saying, ‘It’s not the size of the team in the race, but the size of the race in the team.’

Richard Strasser has been coaching cross country for two decades and says, “By no means am I going to equate the biggest team as the best team. That could be the exact opposite because obviously I enjoying coaching cross country and I hope the girls on the team enjoy it.”

On long runs the team says they’ll sing songs together or tell stories to kill time.

They said they enjoy the close knit feel and friendships of the small team because to get through this grueling sport it takes more than endurance.

“This season I split the side of my spike right open and rolled my ankle and had to finish the entire race so that was pretty difficult,” laughed junior Kayla Storie.

“It’s really a lifestyle because you have to stay hydrated and you have to have good nutrition and you have to get to bed but oyu also have to keep your grades up,” added sophomore Zoe Lucyshyn.

“It requires a lot of mental pressure and thinking,” said Storie.

Lucyshyn added, “There is so much that comes out of it between the way that it makes you push yourself and it sets you up for later in life.”

“You’re at a meet and the team does not beat any other team but if they all set out and they did the best that they can, in my book that’s a win,” smiled Strasser.  “You went to bed at a decent time, you had a good meal, you hydrated- there’s a lot of things. If you did the best as your body can, they’re learning you can not have regrets afterwards.”