Von Steuben Panthers Cross Country Looking to Improve Numbers
Von Steuben is looking to improve it's number of athletes on a team that includes #1 runner Michael Gulan (jr)(#1387) and Adam Allingham (#1382) - brother of Lane's Dylan Allingham.
When people think of Von Steuben cross country they think of Elin Erickson (sr) - the female Von Steuben all-city distance runner who finished 7th at the varsity level last year.
Many people don't even realize they had a boys cross country team. They were easy to miss. Von Steuben had only three runners participate at the varsity level and 4 runners participate at the freshman level. The frosh-soph team was the most respectable with a full team and they actually placed 7th. Von Steuben finished within 22 points of 6th placed Kenwood and actually beat Harlan and Jones.
Unfortunately, low turnout has always been the case at Von Steuben.
Von Steuben cross country coaches Lorri and Eli Yurrick are looking to change that.
"My goal next year is to have a full team of 7 at every level -the freshman, the frosh-soph, and the varsity level," said coach Eli.
That is a great starting point to begin a program in the CPS. Established suburban programs don't have that as a goal. Every team in the Mid-Suburban League (Barrington, Schuamburg, Conant, etc) all have boys programs that have combined numbers of 60+ or much more runners. However, at the CPS, a district with over 80 high schools, only Lane Tech and Northside Prep were the only schools with complete (minimum of 5) runners at the freshman, frosh-soph, and varsity levels for the 2009 city championship.
If Von Steuben, were to meet their goal, they would have to make a big push at recruiting new freshman.
"We are going to recruit freshman at orientation and other ways," added Coach Eli.
#1382 is Adam Allingham. That's Dylan's younger brother. He knows the LT program well because of big brother and has some promise
Posted by: New year coming up | June 09, 2010 at 07:46 PM
^ya that was kinda mentioned in the pictures caption and already assumed from the last name.
Posted by: captain obvious | June 09, 2010 at 10:21 PM
Too bad the CPS is going to continue to screw the sports next year. Only Varsity & JV XC next year. No Freshmen or Frosh-Soph. That is going to have an impact for some teams next year.
Posted by: 2 levels only | June 09, 2010 at 10:24 PM
jv would probably still be unlimited though...so it's not like the teams will be smaller....and really city will be the only meet where a frosh soph level won't exist, all suburban, many city meets will have a frosh soph, so they will still have opportunities to run
Posted by: meh | June 10, 2010 at 02:28 PM
hey coach yurick
its Joel :)
Ready to run
Posted by: Joel6789 | June 14, 2010 at 06:24 AM