This fall, a new approach will be in mind when the men’s cross country team heads outdoors for competition.

Chris Hardie, who enters his 10th season as head coach, said it was time for a change in how athletes in the cross country program approached each season.

“We’re trying a new approach for goal setting this year for this squad,” Hardie said. “We’re going week by week, it’s kind of a new thing. We have long term goals, but we’re looking at each week and not looking too far ahead.”

It might be an adjustment for some who are used to working on a long-term plan, but Hardie feels it will benefit the team overall and keep them sharp each week.

“They don’t like forecasting far ahead,” Hardie said. “I think the senior personalities and some of the upperclassmen want to shorten the goal down and see if we’re on track each week.”

Hardie expects a strong season from the team’s six returning juniors; Kyle Warmbein, Mac Colomb, Matt Mansfield, Matt Durgin, Jordan Payne and Nate Jecelin.

“They are all relatively close in their pacing and training and work together really well,” he said. “It’s a nice core group, where I think last year all of them were a leader [at some point] in a race for us, which is super rare. Usually, you have somebody out front that wins every race.”

Along with those six juniors, team leadership will be displayed from seniors such as captain Ryan Brownfield and Mason Klopp as well as classmates Jared Scott and Justin Lewis.

“[Brownfield] is entering his fourth year [and] has been around us for 7-8 years because his older brother ran for us, so we trust him, he has a lot of leadership ability,” Hardie said. “We expect our captains and leaders to be honest with us, and tell us what’s going on and things that might be going on a daily basis.”

Other areas of emphasis for the Jackets this season will be speed and strategy, as Hardie and his staff realize that each runner approaches things differently 

“Our training has changed this year, so we are focusing more on speed,” Hardie said. “Not as much on longer distance stuff, so we are trying to be faster. We’re also focusing on strategy, we know there are a lot of guys that have individual running styles, which is also unique to our program.”

Joining Hardie for their 10th seasons on the staff are Laurel Rush and Michelle Cross, who also spend time assisting Hardie on the women’s side of the program. Waynesburg alumnus Kristen Stone is set to return for her third season with the program.

“[Rush] has been a great resource for the men and me, she’s a really good coach,” Hardie said. “Michelle assists with the men, but her primary focus will be the women and [Kristen] crosses over and helps out with both programs.”

According to Hardie, the program will also looking to surpass the 1500 win mark in 10 years since the current coaching staff has took over.

“We’re pretty amped up about that, but that’s been the work of the alumni and all the work that’s been done previously,” Hardie concluded.

The Jackets will swarm into their 2019 season this Friday at the Westminster Fisher Invitational, the first of three straight Presidents’ Athletic Conference invitationals to begin the new campaign. Events will begin at 6:30 Friday evening.