Building a Legacy: Young, Scrappy Livonia Stevenson Cross Country Team Looks to the Future

Roster and Philosophy: Building the Program Standard

Coach Pyle currently commands a roster of 26 athletes, with a staggering 23 members being underclassmen (Freshmen and Sophomores). Furthermore, 19 of those athletes are new to high school cross country, highlighting the significant rebuild and growth the program is currently undergoing.

"We have a super young, scrappy, and energetic team," Pyle stated. "Our few returners have been great recruiters of incoming freshmen and sophomores that did not run cross country their freshman year. These guys have bought into the process, and the results are showing. We are building up to be a great and competitive team in the future."

Pyle's vision for the team goes beyond winning every race.

"I have told my guys that my goal for this team and program is to be the 'best program in the state.' That is what we are building towards. We don't always have to be the best team, but when people see us and the things we do on and off the course, they see we are the standard of a great program."

New Gear, New Goals: Investments in the Team

The program has made significant investments to support the athletes' success and recovery:

• New Equipment: The program was able to purchase two new tents for the Cross Country and Track programs, as well as new warm-ups for the boys' and girls' cross country teams.
• Recovery Tools: New foam rollers for recovery, water jugs, coolers, and chairs have been added to outfit the team area.

In addition to gear, new team-building initiatives are driving engagement and results:

• Food Squads: Families participate by organizing "Food Squads," bringing snacks and drinks to bigger meets to ensure all athletes can properly fuel and recover after their races.
• "Break the Record" Goal Setting: Athletes are decorating old records and writing their goal time on them. Once they achieve that time, they get to symbolically break the record, providing a fun, tangible reward for hitting a personal best.

October Surge: City Meet Success and Season Outlook

The team is peaking at the right time, with its best performances consistently coming in October. This past Friday, the team had a stellar showing at the City Meet, where they took 2nd place.

Coach Pyle reported that almost all athletes either ran their best time of the season on the challenging Cass Benton Course, or set a new all-time personal record (PR), regardless of the course. This dramatic improvement has built excitement for the final stretch of the season.

The schedule is set for a strong finish:

• Junior Varsity: Has two remaining meets—the KLAA Conference Meet (held on Oct. 16) and the Franklin JV Invitational (Oct. 26).
• Varsity: Also has two remaining meets—the KLAA Conference Meet and MHSAA Regionals.

With impressive times achieved at the City Meet, Coach Pyle is hopeful and excited, concluding, "Our goal is to get an athlete to qualify for the state meet!"

Highlights: The Midnight Mile

A major highlight of the season—and a unique team-building tradition shared with the girls' team under Coach Angela Harris—is the Midnight Mile.

This event, now in its second year, takes place at Stevenson High School precisely at the stroke of midnight on August 11th, the official start date for fall practices. Under the stadium lights, athletes run a timed mile to kick off their season. The event has gained local attention, with family and friends encouraged to attend, and was even covered by WXYZ.

Fans of Stevenson can look forward to watching this ambitious group finish out their competitive season and continue to mature into a powerhouse in the years to come.

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