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ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS:

The Boys' and Girls' Cross Country programs are among long list of successful sports programs at QND. Since its inception in 2000, the Girls' program has qualified either teams or individuals for Sectionals each year and has produced All-Sectional and All-State runners in eight out of ten seasons. Since its inception in 2001, the Boys' program has qualified individuals or teams for the Sectional meet each year.

QND Cross Country success begins with commitment to a guiding principle: Gentleman or Lady first; Scholar second; Athlete third. Anything less is unacceptable.

Academics play an important role in a student's life. Our Cross Country athletes take this role to heart. The boys team achieved a 3.54 total cumulative team grade point average during the 2009-10 season, earning them the IHSA Team Academic Achievement Award! Likewise, the girls team achieved a 3.63 total cumulative team grade point average during the 2009-10 season, earning them the IHSA Team Academic Achievement Award! This marks the fourth straight year both teams have earned this honor! Senior Lexi Niemann was also nominated for the IHSA Academic All-State Team. Coach Terwelp and I are very proud of each student-athlete who believed in and exemplified our team's guiding principles.

Unlike most sports, both teams practice together and attend the same meets. Cross Country races are typically three miles in length and are contested in parks, on golf courses and occasionally pass through farm pastures and creeks. While team success is important, individual runners benchmark their success against personal-best times or finishes. These personal successes help build/enhance self-confidence, self-esteem and self-discipline that carry throughout the individual's life. These improvements automatically enhance team success and the value of teamwork. All runners compete in all meets during the regular season as members of either the JV or Varsity squads.

Captain’s Practices begin in mid to late May and official team practices start in mid-August. For the 2010 season a pre-season team-building experiences has been planned. During the last week in July, the team will spend four days and three nights in Southern Illinois participating in a low-ropes/high-ropes teams challenge course, caving, rappelling, canoeing, swimming and, of course, enjoying daily trail runs through the Shawnee National Forest. This year marks the fifth year the team has participated in this type of team building experience. Last season the team travelled to the Eleven Points River in southern Missouri for a four day, three night canoeing trip. To commemorate the experience, the team designs a special shirt featuring high points of the trip. The regular season begins the last week of August and concludes the second week in November.

Last Season…..A Brief Recap

Last Season……….A Brief Recap

The 2009 season has concluded, the records have been updated and uniforms (all but Kyle’s) and equipment stored. For many, the coaches included, the memories of this season are still as fresh in the mind as the day they occurred. As with the previous nine years of the program the season began with high expectations that this would be another great season for the QND Cross Country squads. 24 runners, 13 on the boys squad and 11 on the girls squad, competed. Overall, team quality and depth continued a nine year trend of continuous improvement.

Prior to the start of the season, the team and coaches spent four days and three nights in Southern Missouri on the Eleven Points River team-building, canoeing, swimming and caving. Meals were cooked by members of the team along the river and tent camping on gravel bars each night was a unique experience for almost everyone! Why was it that only the coaches knew to pitch their tents on the sandy side of the gravel bars??? Campfire story-telling, songs by Kurt, owl calls and singing American Pie during the second night’s thunderstorm were quite entertaining. We hauled all the food and water we needed for the three days and learned how to cope without the modern conveniences we take for granted (indoor plumbing and showers, air conditioning and cell phone services) With temperatures during the day in the lower 90’s the water and caves were great! Butt surfing, primitive hunting, polar bear plunges and 14 canoes tied together while going through a series of rapids were unique experiences. We went on this trip as 24 individuals and returned united as a close knit team and ready for the 2009 season.

Highlights for the boys squad included a win at the Monmouth Invitational, runner-up at the Macomb Invitational, Liberty Invitational and the QHS Tom Oakley Invitational and a third place finish at the QND Running Raider Invitational and the Mid-State 6 Conference Meet. Tanner Arntzen earned All-Conference honors with his 10th place finish. In the Macomb Regional the team finished second to eventual State Runner-up Canton. In the Elmwood Sectional the team placed 10th which is the best team finish at the sectional meet by a boys team. The Top Ten Records were re-written again this season as were many of the top 5 and top 7 time averages. Tanner Arntzen set new school records on six courses this season and Mitch Dietrich set new school records on 3 courses this season. Several of the previous course records were bettered by more than one runner. The team consistently ran a Top 5 Split between :45 and :60 and set two of the top 10 all-time bests in this category. This was the finest season for the Raiders in terms of team success as they met tough competition head-on and with confidence!

Season highlights for the Lady Raiders included winning the Jacksonville/Taylorville Triangular and placing third at the Liberty Invitational and the Mid-State 6 Conference Meet. The team struggled throughout the first half of the season as its projected top five was never intact for a wide variety of reasons. Throw in the H1N1 virus and the obstacles were set for the girls. This failed to deter the girls’ Raider Pride and they put it all together when it counted at the Regional meet, placing 2nd to Liberty. In the Sectional Meet the girls placed 11th to conclude their season. Many Top Ten records were recorded. Hard work and fight to the very end was a hallmark of this year’s team and was very representative of what makes Lady Raider Cross Country special. Every member of the team should be proud of their efforts and successes!

The teams lose seniors Strieker, Yates, Niemann, Dietrich, McCabe, Lunt , Mallory and Sibbing. These student athletes provided excellent leadership over the years they have been with the program. Good luck as each of you move on to the next stage in your lives.

The future of QND Cross Country looks very bright with a strong nucleus of returning runners and the strong prospects of several new faces joining the squads next season. Head Coach Andy Edgar is set to return for his eleventh year with the program and Assistant Coach Mary Terwelp will enter her ninth season with the team.

If you are a new or returning student to QND, Coaches Edgar and Terwelp encourage you to contact one of us to learn more about the sport of Cross Country. Cross Country is an excellent sport for athletes of all abilities. There is no bench and there are no cuts. Everyone competes in every meet and both squads practice and race at the same locations. The sport is pure in that each person’s efforts are rewarded in terms of a personal best time, the defeat of an individual you’ve never beaten before (regardless of whether or not you are the fastest person on the team), and personal self-esteem and confidence are greatly enhanced. Too often these elements are ignored or de-emphasized in sports. With Quincy Notre Dame Cross Country these elements are focal.

Thank you to all of our coaches, parents, sponsors, administrators and fans who made this season special. We’re already looking forward to, and planning for, the upcoming season in 2010!

Coach Edgar

It’s a Great Day to Be a Runner

Author unknown

Believe in yourself

Day by day

Week by week

What will it take to win

I want to win, why aren’t I doing more

Imake a commitment to myself

I will do whatever it takes to win

I will go to the point of exhaustion to get a victory

I want to slow down and give up

I hit the wall of no turning back

No pain, no gain, no gain I won’t reach a victory

There’s no limit to what I can achieve

I have given 110%

With victory in sight, bent over and drenched in sweat

All I can say

“This is the vision of a champion”

===========================================

The Spirit

Written by: Aaron Weiman

Team Captain, 2004

Endurance and strength is what we possess.

Coaches ACE and Mary put us to the test,

We ran hard and we ran strong,

We ran fast and we ran long.

Some may have more speed.

We’ve all gone beyond our comfort zone to improve our stride.

We tasted the success and showed that we have the best

RAIDER PRIDE.

=========================================

To Coach Edgar

Thank You (2004 Year End Banquet)

Author: The Team

We gather today

As our season comes to an end,

We look back and remember the beginning,

And how we all became great friends.

Cross Country isn’t the easiest sport,

But we all had fun.

Thinking about it,

I wish it wasn’t done.

At times it seemed like it wouldn’t end,

Like at practices when you wouldn’t stop talking,

And tell us how we were doing great,

When we were secretly walking.

We are very thankful for you,

And all the things you have done for us.

Including all the things that made us laugh,

Like when we put the gorilla on the bus.

For all of you that don’t know,

It was a joke on the Sectionals trip,

When we met the Chip and Dale Dancers

That said they were hip.

What we are just trying to say

Is thank you for all the things you have done,

And for putting up with us

When we just wouldn’t stop complaining.

Thanks for everything,

The Team

To My Coaches

Thank You (2007 Year End Banquet)

Author: Denise Myers

I appreciate what all of you have done for me.

Accepting me as part of the team and making me an “Honorary Raider”.

You all always made me feel like I belonged at Cross Country meets. Even though it wasn’t much, just letting me keep my stuff with yours was a huge help for me. I could always count on

one of you all or a parent to cheer for me as I ran by.

It meant a lot since I hardly ever had anyone from my school there.

Also for letting me eat your food,

that was very generous and by the way was always awesome!

To sum it up,

you all made my Cross Country experience a whole lot better. Thanks for always being there to support me and

good luck to all of you in your future.

Thanks!!!

Denise Myers

Mark Twain (MO) High School ‘08

The Meaning of Athletics

Author: Bob LaCroix (Peoria Richwoods Coach 1984-2004)

A – is the ATTITUDE of which the right kind must be there; lacking

this attribute, you can’t go anywhere.

T – is the TALENT, not always necessary; But certainly helpful, to

be out of the ordinary.

H – is the HARMONY, which one must expect; Needed to develop,

the total team concept.

L – is the LEADERSHIP, that intangible ability to captivate; Shown

many times by example, hoping others will be able to emulate.

E – is the EXCELLENCE, for which all must strive to attain; Difficult

to achieve, even harder to maintain.

T – is the TRAINING, by hard work, developing a certain condition, The method is often varied, but gives a course of direction

I – is the INDIVIDUAL, sometimes competing as one; More often

than not, many are needed to get the job done.

C – is the COACH, making sure it is done right; Teaching and

instructing, the guiding force, night after night.

S – is the SPORTSMANSHIP, for which it is all about; Take it away,

and all else would be in doubt.

Watch…………

Author Unknown

Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes….your destiny.

“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”

Through South Park

By: Ashley Strieker

Thrilling, exciting, exhilarating;

Through grass, over sidewalks,

Up and down hills,

Around trees, ponds, and bushes.

Running Running

Encourage, challenge, fortify;

Familiar faces at my side,

Pushing each other to the limit,

Bonding through the pain.

RunningRunning

Strive, struggle, achieve;

The wind behind me,

The green grass underneath me,

My friends beside me.

RunningRunning

Be sure to check out pictures taken at last year’s Raider Classic!

Just CLICK HERE and check out the pictures; very cool! Pictures from this year's event will be posted shortly after the festivities conclude!

To Raider Classic visitors, including our many out of town guests, welcome to our site and thank you for your interest in our 5K/10K event. Our 10th year of this event has come and gone. We hope that your experience was positive and that you will share the Tri-State’s best kept secret (the Raider Classic) with your friends.

If you haven’t been able to join us prior to this year, you will find the Classic to be very well run, have plenty of food, and results posted within minutes of the final 10K finisher. We want you to have a positive experience with us while still having plenty of time to enjoy other events occurring in the area on this day. The parks you will run or walk through are mature, river bluff/basin parks and most of the courses are under a tree canopy. To add to the experience, we even throw in a little off-road cross country into each course! To encourage on-line registrations, we absorb the fee charged for this service. Due to the many positive comments from our pre-registered participants, we will continue to distribute goody bags and accept registrations the evening before the event from 4-6pm in the main foyer of QND High School. We look forward to welcoming you to Quincy and know that you will enjoy your morning with us!

Each year our Raider Classic draws more and more interest. We cannot thank all those who help us enough to make each year such a Success - What a Team effort!

For Results from the 2009 Raider Classic Click Here.

For Results from the 2010 Raider Classic Click Here.

For Results from the 2011 Raider Classic Click Here.

Check this section periodically as it will be a living update.

Last season kicked off with a new runner’s meeting on April 14th. Thirteen possible new runners were represented at the meeting. I couldn’t be more pleased with these great numbers and the personal quality of the individuals! We are close to reaching our goal of having at least 14 runners per squad.

Former QND runner Andrea Edgar has rejoining the team for the 2010 season in the capacity of an assistant coach. During her three seasons with QND she qualified for State all three years and placed 3rd in 2001 and 4th in 2002. After High School she continued her running career with the Black Knights of West Point. She lettered in 9 of 12 possible seasons in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. After West Point, Andrea served in the US Army and just recently retired. She plans to pursue advanced studies at Northwestern in 2011.

On June 2nd, representatives from the Springfield Running Center met us at Madison Park to sell running shoes to us and QHS. Until the next time they visit, it is highly recommended that all new runners visit a running shoe store such as the Springfield Running Center, Peoria’s Running Central of St Louis’ Fleet Feet to ensure they are fitted with the appropriate shoe for their feet. Team Captains (Tanner Arntzen, Paula Holm, Brett Baker, Lauren Rivard and Kyle McNett) organized Captain’s Practices mid-May and kept them going until the season officially kicked off on August 11th. Great job Captains as we are entering the new season in the best overall condition a team has been in since I began 11 years ago!.

The 9th Annual Raider Classic went off without a hitch on 6-26-10. Our families did a great job on getting registrants and sponsorships. The field was strong again this year and we had 287 entrants. Our Team Camp was held on July 25-28 near the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. We had a full three days of individual and team building experiences. Of note was the rock climbing and rappelling, trail runs each morning, capture the flag, swimming and canoeing. The Mad Dog adventure was like nothing any of us had ever experienced and won’t soon be forgotten!! Poison Ivy and chiggers provided a brief reminder of that experience for the following two weeks.

Official team practice kicked off like the rest of the state on August 11th. The squad numbers 14 boys and 12 girls. Of this number, 18 are either freshmen or sophomores. Strong numbers at the lower levels bodes well for the program for several years to come, especially when coupled with the great experience of our upper class group. We are busy passing out uniforms, getting set-up for team pictures, ordering team shirts and sweats. Once these tasks are complete we can get on with the season.

There are a few changes to the 2010 schedule. We have increased the field size of the September 14th Running Raider Invitational from 24 teams to 28-30 teams. This meet is the largest weekday meet in Illinois south of I-80 and is the largest weekday meet in the State not held on a holiday! Without the support of our parents and the community we couldn’t pull this off! We also added a second home meet, a quintangular with QHS, Liberty, Illini West and Marion County, on 9-21. We wrapped up our first meet with a triangular against QHS and host Jacksonville. We did GREAT! The results are posted below. Check out all our results including State Tournament Results!!!