Cross Country
The Cross Country Team has male and female athletes in grades 6-12 who compete in the fall, running distances between 1 mile and 5K, depending on age.
High School Head Coach Travis Haas
Sport(s) Coaching: Cross Country and Track and Field
Playing Experience (in any sport at any level): My parents were runners, and I don’t remember a time in my life when I haven’t enjoyed running. I have a lifelong love of track, competing in various events starting at age 6 when my dad helped start a youth track club in my hometown. I competed in track, football, and basketball through high school.
Coaching Experience: (in any sport at any level): I have been coaching track at Veritas since 2013 and cross country since 2020. Additionally, I lead the Speed Camp, a specialized speed and conditioning program offered by Veritas. Beyond my work at Veritas, I have also coached for an AAU track club and provide private coaching for horizontal jumps. I am a Level One Certified Track and Field Coach through USATF.
Years with Veritas (in any capacity, not just as a coach): I have been associated with Veritas since 2003, ever since my daughter began first grade there.
Your favorite part about coaching: I am passionate about coaching athletes who have the drive and determination to improve and achieve their goals. I take great joy in planning their workouts and providing them with tips and insights to help them succeed. Most importantly, I cherish building strong relationships with the athletes and their families. It’s incredibly rewarding to run into former athletes in the community, catch up on their lives, and reminisce about their playing days. I especially love seeing those who were initially hesitant about the sport continue to run races and jog for recreation long after their competitive days are over, having developed a lifelong love for running and staying healthy.
What do you hope athletes learn from playing your sport? I hope that athletes realize they are capable of much more than they initially believe. I want them to learn from both their successes and their setbacks, understanding how to rise and keep moving forward when faced with challenges. There are countless lessons to be learned. While natural talent may not be evenly distributed, hard work and dedication allow everyone to improve. God places no limits on our ability to get better. We strive to improve by 1% with every practice and every competition. This incremental improvement compounds over time, producing exponential results. This mindset can be applied to nearly every aspect of life.
What is your favorite part about the sport you are coaching? I love coaching cross country, because it is a sport that is as much about personal growth as and character as it is about athletic achievement. I love the camaraderie built as runners train side by side through long runs and grueling workouts. You learn to push through pain, fatigue, and doubt. Cross country builds both physical and mental resilience.
Why should someone who has never played your sport try it this year? You should try cross country because there is no bench in cross country. Every athlete has the opportunity to contribute; there is no sideline to stand on. Everyone is in it together and has the same opportunity to compete and get better.
Favorite Bible verse: Romans 10:14-15: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Junior High Head Coach Kinsey Maddox
Sport(s) Coaching: Cross Country
Playing Experience (in any sport at any level): Track, Basketball, Volleyball all at the Varsity level.
Coaching Experience (in any sport at any level): I’ve always coached my kids in their various sports.
Years with Veritas (in any capacity, not just as coach): I’ve been with Veritas since 2022.
Your favorite part about coaching: Spending time with the kids and watching them grow from the beginning of the season to the end, achieving things they didn’t think were possible!
What do you hope athletes learn from playing your sport? Running takes mental toughness and grit that will serve them their whole lives.
What is your favorite part about the sport you are coaching? I love watching the progress everyone makes throughout the year.
Why should someone who has never played your sport try it this year? We have so much fun! You will feel like a rockstar when you cross that finish line with the amount of cheers you’ll receive!
Favorite Bible verse: 2 Corinthians 5:21: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.