Clarke Central High School head cross country coach Mollie Sherman sits on a bench on the CCHS track on Sept. 3. For the 2019 season, Sherman has great pride for the runners and feels that (success) starts with the top runners. “We have some really wonderful kids who are totally devoted to the program, and that devotion kind of transcends and trickles down into other people,” Sherman said. Photo by Luna Reichert
Clarke Central High School head cross country coach Mollie Sherman is new to the cross country team in the 2019-20 school year.
The Clarke Central High School cross country team is returning to its roots with the hire of head cross country coach Mollie Sherman, a CCHS alumna, for the 2019 season. Sherman took over after former head coach Alex Holmes left the position at the end of the 2018-19 school year.
Junior Mollie Sherman (top row, second from left) poses with the cross country team for a photo in the 2011 edition of the Gladius yearbook.
Sherman started her own journey with the CCHS cross country team as a sophomore in high school.
“It all started because I woke up one morning over the summer before (sophomore) year, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to do something to get in shape and feel healthy,’ and so I went on a run,” Sherman said. “It was probably like a 20-minute run, and it was not anything special, but it inspired me to go out for the team, and then I ended up running cross country for the next three years at Clarke Central and I loved it. I was really heavily involved.”
After starting school at the University of Georgia, Sherman came back as an assistant cross country coach in the 2015-16 school year.
“Fast forward a few years, I was a junior at (UGA), and Coach (Jon) Ward knew I was still in town and reached out to me and asked if I was interested in being an assistant cross country coach,” Sherman said. “He knew my connection to the program, and I jumped on the opportunity as quickly as I could, because I loved it.” Sherman believes that her previous experience at CCHS helps her better understand the program.
“I think that cross country is a unique sport, and it follows a unique schedule. The program itself has its own family, and I think being a part of it for a few years ahead of being the head coach allowed me to buy into that community, into that family and that feel.”
— Mollie Sherman, CCHS head cross country coach
“I think that cross country is a unique sport, and it follows a unique schedule. The program itself has its own family, and I think being a part of it for a few years ahead of being the head coach allowed me to buy into that community, into that family and that feel,” Sherman said.
Previous CCHS cross country head coach Eric McCullough believes Sherman possesses many qualities of a good cross country coach.
“(A cross country coach) should be encouraging, but also trying to get (runners) to be more independent, make sure they stay goal-oriented, and try to keep it loose and fun because, with the races and running, it can get pretty stagnant, pretty boring at times,” McCullough said. “You have to kind of mix up what you do, and I think if you do that it’d be good.”
Sherman feels that the team has the potential to accomplish numerous goals this season.
“I want every single (runner) to have a positive, meaningful and impactful experience on the team. I want cross country to be something that they want to work hard towards,” Sherman said. “Additionally, I want to see the girls defend their title as the region champions because that was a really exciting thing for the whole team last year. I’d also like to see the boys step back into region (championships).”
Girls cross country team captain Samantha Brodrick, a CCHS junior, believes the team has been revitalized by Sherman’s arrival.
“I think the whole atmosphere of the team this year is just a more positive, excited feeling,” Brodrick said. “We just all seem to support each other and just be excited about the new coaches, which we love.”
So far this season, boys cross country team captain Braden DeLamater, a CCHS senior, feels that Sherman’s coaching has given him more motivation and drive.
Clarke Central High School head cross country coach Mollie Sherman stands on the CCHS track writing on a clipboard on Sept. 3. Sherman started working with the team over the summer to prepare for the 2019 season. “We had a really successful summer. (For) summer workouts, we had kids come out consistently, from May to the end of July, right up until the beginning of school,” Sherman said. “It’s been really fulfilling to be in the role that I’m in and, of course, it brings new responsibilities and new challenges, but I’m (here) for those and I enjoy it.” Photo by Luna Reichert
“Coach Mollie has been awesome because she was there kind of helping out when Coach Holmes was there. But also how it’s been this year, I’ve been going to more summer practices, which has been really helpful for me,” DeLamater said. “She’s really encouraged us to get out there and get running, and she really makes me want to go out to practice, makes me want to run every day.”
During the 2018-19 season, Holmes led the girls cross country team to a region championship. Cross country runner Kurali Grantham, a CCHS junior, believes that Sherman will have to live up to past years’ accomplishments.
“With the new head coach comes new types of practices, new procedures (and) a new way of running things, but Coach Mollie is doing a great job. Coach Holmes did a great job last year, so I think we’ll still be pretty successful,” Grantham said. Brodrick feels that, overall, Sherman’s approach has bettered the team’s culture and skill, setting them up for more achievement than previous years. “(Sherman has) taken a lot of pride in us, which I think really makes a difference. She’s just really proud to be out there with us, and you can tell she loves it,” Brodrick said.
Want to read more about the Cross Country teams’ performance in the 2019 season? Read the season recap by Audrey Enghauser!
Story by Gretchen Hinger
Package by Owen Donnelly
