Forest Hills Eastern cross country is red-hot following a thrilling 2023 campaign. Headed by Vice Principal Daniel McElheny (aka Coach Mac), a 14-year veteran in the sport with 9 years of head coaching at Eastern. Coach Mac is no stranger to being a part of state champion squads, having 6 wins under his belt across cross country and track and field. With returning athletes like seniors Tyler Endres, Henry Dixon, and Marlina Howell, the cross country teams look to defend their state championship title. It’s no easy task, though, as the team was hit with a huge amount of turnover and are entering a new conference riddled with the best teams in the state. Both the men’s and women’s squads will have their hands full as they race into the season.
After a decisive men’s state championship victory, it’s common to expect some grandiose rewards for the program. When asked, however, McElheny answered “Not a lot of the tangible benefits are there yet,” then elaborated that “showing the x’s and y’s make it easier to build a team.” The “x’s and y’s” are the success of the program. In short, he’s excited about recruiting future athletes to the team, as it’s easier to recruit talent as the program gains notoriety.
Coach Mac claimed that both of the teams have had one of the best off-seasons the program has ever seen. Whether that be from intense training or becoming a cohesive team, cross country has bounced back from adversity like never before. In McElheny’s words, “We lost well over 20 seniors across both teams,” a staggering amount which included 5 of 7 runners who placed for the boy’s state championship. Coach Mac was nervous, like any coach would be in that situation as he had a very young, but talented squad. Luckily his coaching and belief in the team led to stunning growth and a spot in the pre-season top 10 rankings. When asking Coach Mac about his excitement, he claimed that “seeing a major payoff,” was at the top of his list, including post-season success as well. He went in-depth about the hundreds of hours spent and miles run by each and every athlete, speaking to the consistency of the team.
Traveling further back in the program, he was asked what was the starting point for the culture of the team. Who or what made FHE XC (cross country) what it is today. He thought for a while and stated “ Every team has been important,” but after a few more moments he answered “The 2021 team.” After more inquiry, he explained that the boys and girls on that team were the first ones to truly feel like a cohesive group. They didn’t complain and set a new standard for what it meant to be an Eastern runner. He said that they left a legacy of consistency that has been carried on by every runner since then. They set the bar high and encouraged their underclassmen to keep pushing it. The 2024 squad has kept the culture and then some. Coach Mac described them as a “one connected team,” which to him meant a melting pot of personalities and experiences. In years past he relied on one or two athletes to step up for the team and be a sort of glue guy, but this new squad has clicked together like a puzzle, with each athlete bringing a different aspect to the team. He says that past teams were a “group of silos,” meaning that they were close together, but split into small groups and cliques which harmed the team. He’s thankful that the stigma of small groups has been phased out of the program and looks onto the horizon of a new season, knowing that success will follow wherever they go.
