What’s recently happened?
A few people on the Hebron High School (HHS) cross country team joined Coach Dan Pastrick on a three-day trip to Indianapolis, leaving on July 24 for a run at Eagle Creek for the first run of the day. The group arrived at the hotel to settle in before starting their second run at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. On the second day of their stay, the team was spoken to by the IUPUI Women’s Cross Country coach. He gave the team a small backstory of himself and gave them tips on becoming a good runner and continuing their running career past high school.
The Valley Invite was held in Terre Haute on August 12. An exciting start to the season, Emma Bennetich led the Hebron girls, finishing with a time of 24:28. Following Bennetich were Lia Pangiatidous and Addison Waddell with times of 24:35 and 24:40, respectively. Robert Summerville led the Hebron boys with a time of 18:05, followed by Seth Weaver and Liam Wielert with times of 19:55 and 20:15. Many runners have said that the Terre Haute course is one of the hardest, but Pangiatidous disagrees.
“That was the best I’ve ever felt on this course,” she said.
Coaches Pastrick, Bobi Cole, and Traci Hall quickly started practice on the first day allowed. In recent practices, the team has done long runs at an easier pace and shorter runs at a faster speed, preparing for races.
Soccer and wrestling have also started holding practices before the upcoming season. Every coach wants to make sure their athletes are completely prepared for their upcoming competitions.
Sports media interviews were held by Regan’s Corner Sports Network (RCSPN). From the Hebron cross country team, Summerville, Pangiatidous, Ava Scheeringa, Benetich, and Shyann Fisher were interviewed. The aforementioned runners were asked some simple questions about running and recent practices.
Along with Hebron cross country, volleyball and soccer are also starting. Both teams started their practices well before the school year to prepare the athletes for their upcoming competitions. The volleyball team worked on basics during the summer so they can focus on imperfections during the season. The volleyball team won their JV and varsity games against Whiting High School on August 14. The soccer team also focused on basics, going over standard footwork and cardio to get the players ready for a lot of in-game running.
What’s coming up?
School has started for the majority of students, either on August 9 or 16. While there will always be complaints on the first day of school, students admit that they are happy to see friends or even teachers from the past year. Happy or not, this time is always exciting.
The Dave Walker Invite is coming quickly, and the Hebron cross country team is already excited. While the Terre Haute meet is somewhat dreaded, the Dave Walker Invite is looked forward to by the team.
The Hebron Boys and Girls Soccer teams are getting right into competition with their first game against Marquette High School, August 16. Following the game against Marquette is another upcoming game against Wheeler High School on August 19. The team is definitely ready for this game after long practices and dedication to perfecting their game.
The Hebron volleyball team also has a game coming up on August 17 against North Newton High School. The girls are eager to get on the court and show off the skills they have been perfecting since this summer.
The wrestling season officially starts on November 1, but there are some out-of-season events to get the group ready and excited for competition. Before the season starts, the current team takes some time to recruit incoming middle schoolers, freshmen, and other students that might not be in a sport at the moment.
Community member spotlight:
Bobi Cole is a cross country and track coach at Hebron High School and a physical education teacher at Merrillville Middle School. She grew up in Alabama and Merrillville, attending Merrillville High School and Indiana State University to further her education. Cole now lives in Hebron, where her two daughters have gone to school their entire lives. Cole’s older daughter, Kylie Cole, graduated this past May and is heading to Ball State University for her fall semester very soon.
“I always wanted to be there for kids like how my teachers were there for me. I like to see the students achieve their goals and smile,” said Cole.
Cole is very excited for the upcoming season and the chance to see all the personal records the runners beat after all of their hard work. One of her favorite memories from coaching is seeing the determination of the runners' faces and watching the team become a family over the season.