Ryan Kugler is currently in the final year of his high school cross country career, and he has had a major impact on the success of the team. With his experience, and high talent, he has pushed everyone on the team to keep working, in hopes to reach his goal, which is him, and the team to finish as the best XC team in the state.
Kugler finished 15th in last year’s state meet, with the team as a whole finishing 7th. Kugler has made his goals clear multiple times, and he feels that this season, they have the team to do it. So far, they have had a very strong start to the season, so they hope to carry this momentum into the coming meets.
Leadership plays a crucial role in the success of a cross country team, especially in a sport where individual effort contributes to the overall team’s performance. A strong leader provides not only guidance but also motivation and sets a high standard of work ethic for others to follow. In this regard, Kugler has had a major role in helping the younger high school runners develop. By offering consistent encouragement, sharing his experience, and demonstrating dedication, he creates an environment where newer athletes can thrive. Kugler’s mentorship ensures that the younger runners not only improve their physical abilities but also understand the mental toughness required for cross country, building a strong foundation for both personal and team success.
Kugler knows being a captain for the team means that he has a huge role in motivating everyone. Whether it’s before a meet, or practice, Kugler pushes everyone to compete at their hardest.
“I always do a pre-race speech, and try to give them strategy, or provide some insight.” Kugler said. “And during training, I try to pull them along and keep track of what they’re doing, and hold them accountable.”
Kugler also knows that he is a key factor in helping develop the newer and younger runners, mainly freshmen and sophomores.
“At that age I think it’s about consistency, and just learning how to race.” Kugler said. “If you just learn how to be consistent, learn how to race, those times will start dropping, and you’ll have a lot more fun.”
Since he has been a captain for multiple years now, Kugler has learned how to become a better leader throughout his career.
“I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this sport, and I’ve spent a lot of time training for this sport.” Kugler said. Kugler also touched on the culture that he, and other seniors have created. “I just want to see all of us do well, we don’t only run for ourselves, we run for each other. And I think me and some of the other leaders have instilled a new culture on this team. A few years back, this was a completely different team.”
Head coach Theresa Gosnell has been extremely happy with how Kugler has helped this team develop a culture that is supportive of each other, and helps each other get better.
“He’s always motivated to know what competition is at each race, and who’s there to beat.” Gosnell said. “Besides working hard, he is also very aware of the competition and what they need to do to beat the competition.”
Gosnell also acknowledged how Kugler leads the team, and helps newer and younger runners.
“His work ethic and performance sets an example for the other runners on the team.” Gosnell said. “He’s definitely going to go out there and do what he’s supposed to be doing.”
Kugler has had a major impact on how this team has changed, and how runners develop into better competitors. He always is making sure every runner is going the extra mile.
“The other kids, whether they are younger or the same age as him, see the work he puts in, and see that he goes out and does the work and doesn’t complain, they follow.” Gosnell said.
After performing very well during the first few weeks of the season, Kugler hopes he can continue to carry his great times into the upcoming meets. And eventually, he hopes to make it even farther in state.
