Cross Country

Holy Ghost Prep 2023 cross-country season preview

Head coach: Mike Meistering, 16^th season

Key runners lost to graduation: Ciaran Chambers and Jack Evans

Top returnees: Seniors Papakojo Danquah and Brendan DiEnna; junior Daniel Perez; sophomores Patrick McGowan and Nicholas Giordano

Varsity newcomers to know: Senior track standout Maurece Jean-Brian is no longer playing soccer and joins with freshmen John Loveman and Owen Bittman as the new cross-country runners to watch. All three have performed well in the first few cross-country races of the 2023 season and should be consistent point scorers for the Firebirds.

HGP runner to watch: Senior Papakojo Danquah finished third at the 2022 PIAA District 1 Class 2A cross-country championships and is one of the area’s top distance runners.

2023 season outlook: The Holy Ghost Prep cross-country team has captured three straight PIAA District 1 Class 2A cross-country team titles and shows no signs of slowing down this fall. Seniors Papakojo Danquah and Brendan DiEnna will step into leadership roles for the Firebirds. Danquah, the third-place finisher at the 2022 district championship meet at Lehigh University, has the tools to run collegiately and will lead another deep and gifted group of runners for highly successful Firebirds coach Mike Meistering. Danquah is one of three top-11 district finishers who are back in the fold for the Firebirds—the others being junior Daniel Perez (fourth place in the 2022 PIAA District One Class AA meet) and DiEnna (11th place). Maurece Jean-Brian excelled as part of a strong 4x800 relay team last winter, along with Jack Evans (now a freshman at the University of Cincinnati) and the aforementioned Danquah and DiEnna, and gives Meistering’s squad another battle-tested runner. Also back in the fold for the Firebirds are sophomores Patrick McGowan and Nicholas Giordano, who finished 75th and 129^th at the 2022 District One championships, respectively. If that weren’t enough depth, HGP freshmen John Loveman and Owen Bittman have started their Ghost running careers in impressive fashion too. When all is said and done, the Firebirds—led by the proven trio of Danquah, Perez, and DiEnna—are expected to be one of the top Class 2A cross-country teams in District One yet again this fall.

Coaches

Summer Info

Optional Team Summer runs begin after Jul 4th at Tyler State Park's Boathouse. New members welcome!

The optional team running schedule is Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:00pm, Saturdays at 9:00am, all at Tyler State Park's Boathouse Area, for each of these days following the 4th of July Holiday until the start of official practice in mid-August.

The most important thing you can do to develop yourself is to run every day. Ideally you learn how to not feel every stride, but how to sight-see on your feet while enjoying the camaraderie of others or just a commune with nature.

Athletes increase their general fitness, endurance, and strength through daily training efforts. During the summer, participation in other sports (avoiding injury, please!) is encouraged to improve your physical fitness and stamina, but also running every day. There is no substitute for running!

Hopefully each of you wants to improve yourself and your physical condition to maximize your and the team's success. It is easier to train with teammates or with other runners to help you enjoy your runs more.

Running should be something you look forward to every day.

Summer Information

Advanced Training
ONLY for the most advanced mature athletes!
Basic Training
True for ALL participants! Run to achieve!
Organized Summer Runs
Prepare to achieve! Be ready to excel!
Other Summer Learning Opportunities
Educate yourself! Learn about your sport!

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Practices

Follow HGP Cross Country and Track on Twitter - twitter.com/HGPTrackXC

Practice/Meet Facilities: The Holy Ghost Prep Cross Country runs their home meets at Tyler State Park in Newtown, PA. The team also practices usually twice per week at Tyler in the afternoons after dismissal. About two days per week the team runs in the local area: on neighborhood roads, at Neshaminy State Park, and sometimes even Pennypack Park. The team travels for invitationals to local schools, such as Abington HS or William Tenennt HS, but also travels to Carlisle HS, HersheyPark, DeSales University, and Lehigh University. In varying years, the team will compete at Van Cortlandt Park in New York or Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia

Team Rules

TEAM RULES REVIEW: Team members come to team practice. Athletes who aren't on the team don't come to team practice. Athletes who are on the team come to team practice. If you are on the team, then be at practice! Clearly choosing to not be at practice is choosing not to be part of the team! Those who think they are on the team will not be on the team if they miss three team practices or more during the entire season BECAUSE....TEAM MEMBERS COME TO TEAM PRACTICE! Check the meet and practice schedule and DON'T SCHEDULE OTHER ACTIVITIES DURING TEAM PRACTICE!

Students may be removed from the team for having a negative attitude, missing practices or declining opportunities to compete. If you don't want to practice or you don't want to compete, please remove yourself! If you want to be an athlete on our team, meet your athletic responsibilities!

To get better, you have to want the best competition you can find! Everyone needs to train! Continue your development! Work hard, compete well, run fast.

Useful Info

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD SCHOOL RECORDS

OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD SCHOOL RECORDS

Absences	Making a Team: Varsity Top 7 in Cross-Country, Relays in Track and Field
Attendance	Off-Campus Running Rules
Captains	Quotes for Motivational Purposes
Circuit Weight Training for Track & Field (except Throwers)	Performance Assessment Tool
Closed Campus Policies with Regard to Athletics	Prom / Weekend Invitational Rule
Communication/Interaction Guide for Track & Field Non-Competitors (Parents, Relatives, Friends (Girlfriends), Sub-Varsity Athletes and others)	Race Day Routine
Competitor Self-Relection Tool	Race Evaluator
Concussion Protocol	Race Risk Management
Handling of Hoped For Known Absences	Shoe Buying Information
Heart Rate Monitor Purchase Information	Sports Medicine Information
Heart Rate Monitor General Use Information	Statement on Leadership and Captaincy
Heart Rate Monitor Use Pitfalls	Track & Field Coaches' Association Rules and Regulations
Inspirational Quotes	Team Attendance Requirement
Indoor Assocation (TFCAofGP, Inc.) Rules	Tryout Event Requirements
Injury Recommendations	Uniforms
Letter Requirements	Weekend Invitational/Prom Rule
Letter Standards - Indoor Track & Field	Weight Training for Track & Field (except Throwers)
Letter Standards - Outdoor Track & Field	Weight Training for Track & Field (except Throwers)