Endurance, Teamwork, and Sportsmanship at Saints Cyril and Methodius School

Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic School (SSCM) in Deer Park hosted the Catholic Middle School Athletic Association’s (CMSAA) Cross Country Track Meet at Belmont Lake State Park. The CMSAA provides a structure for interscholastic athletic competition among middle schools in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, offering a variety of sports each season, ranging from Baseball, Softball, Basketball and Soccer to Volleyball, Lacrosse, Bowling, and Cross Country Track.

In Cross Country running, teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The courses average from 2.5 to 7.5 miles in length and may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road. The benefits of Cross Country are both mental and physical. Cross Country training builds versatility and stamina, with experience running over a wide range of speeds and terrains.

Saints Cyril and Methodius has participated in CMSAA programs for over five years and this year’s Cross Country Track Team includes 16 upper grade boys and girls, whose practices and meets take them to a diverse range of Long Island terrains and parks, such as Belmont Lake State Park, Sunken Meadow, and Heckscher Park, to name a few. At the heart of the CMSAA’s Mission Statement is their role in helping develop well-rounded athletes, so the program’s volunteer coaches seek to promote physical endurance and good sportsmanship, while fostering teamwork and Catholic values in all of their players.

For more information on Saints Cyril and Methodius Elementary School, visit www.sscmweb.org or call 1.631.667.4044, ext 131. To learn more about the Catholic Middle Schools Athletic Association’s programs, visit www.leaguelineup.com/cmsaa/.