The fall cross-country season hasn’t kicked off just yet, but don’t bother telling Righetti High School senior Erika Robles that.
To Robles, and many of her Warrior teammates, the cross-country season began months ago with regular summer team training sessions at Orcutt Community Park.
“We had a running log,” Robles explained. “We gathered each morning and we ran hills; we’d do different mileage; it varied.”
Coach Louie Quintana, who has high hopes for his up-and-coming Righetti squad this year, spearheaded the sessions.
“We’re really looking forward to this year,” Quintana said. “They’ve been hitting it pretty hard this whole summer. We’re going to go in there and make noise this year.”
Robles is a critical component to that plan for success. And she already is doing lots to fulfill her role as team captain. A transfer from Pioneer Valley High School two years ago, Robles quickly emerged as a talented runner, teammate, and leader.
“Erika’s a really good role model for our younger girls,” Quintana said. “We’re looking forward to having her as a leader.”
Robles has embraced that assumed leadership role. She talked with the Sun about her passion for cross-country and the way it brings teammates together around a common goal.
“I enjoy it,” she said. “I like how we get to run in packs because we have bonding and we make very good friends. We try to make each other better. We run together, we motivate each other, and we get better.”
Righetti’s comaraderie has certainly benefited from the summer workouts, where not only returning runners like Robles are participating, but the younger runners as well—including a few talented incoming freshmen.
“We have some new people who are really working hard for the season,” Robles said.
For Robles, running has become second nature. Her first experience running long distances happened in middle school.
“In seventh grade, my PE teacher would have these races at Waller Park,” Robles said. “It involved 2 miles, and I helped enter the students to run the most laps. That’s how I started running.”
Robles shares her coach’s hope that the Warriors will leapfrog some of the PAC 8 schools this fall, though both recognize the magnitude of that challenge.
“There are some pretty tough teams out there,” Robles said.
That won’t stop her from setting high expectations for the season.
“The girls were really close to making it to the CIF meet last year,” she noted. “I think making it to CIF will be one of our goals this year.”
This article appears in Aug 11-18, 2016.