Katie Caples Invitational
MENA ALCHI | Oct. 13 2023 | sports
Cross Country athletes from Stanton College Preparatory School have consistently improved their team’s performance by participating in the Katie Caples Invitational. Hosted on Sept. 16, 2023, and held annually at Bishop Kenny High School, the event attracts middle and high school cross-country runners from across Florida. It provides the team with a valuable opportunity to compete against formidable rivals and set greater goals for themselves. Additionally, it allows them to analyze the competition they will see at the Florida High School Athletic Association 3A Cross Country State Championships.
“My goal is for both the girls and boys to [advance] as a team,” said Stanton Cross Country and Track & Field head coach Norah Betancourt. “I have been the coach [now] longer than any runner has been on this team, and I have watched them grow and get closer to this goal every season.”
The Katie Caples Invitational provides athletes with a chance to highlight their instilled endurance from summer conditioning. For the 2023-2024 cross-country season, Stanton had four individuals who ranked among the top twenty-five percentile in their respective gender sections within their races. One of those individuals was senior John Syla, the current frontrunner of Stanton’s boys’ varsity team, who achieved an impressive 30th place in this highly competitive boys’ elite five-kilometer race, clocking in at 16:53.53. As a junior, Syla had a notable performance throughout the season, setting a personal record of 16:26.10, and gaining the opportunity to be the only male competitor from Stanton to advance to the FHSAA State Championships. Having the privilege of racing against intense competitors has enabled him to build strong racing strategies and focus on his goals in supporting the team.
“My strategy was to go out at a slightly comfortable pace for the first mile, and then proceed to pick people off,” said Syla. “I had all my teammates supporting me during the elite race, which motivated me to run faster. The hype-like atmosphere is something I always look forward to when going to Bishop Kenny.”
Over the past 25 years, this five-kilometer course has honored the memory of Katie Caples, a 17-year-old Bishop Kenny junior who tragically lost her life in a car accident on April 18, 1998. After previously being known as the Greater Northeast Florida Cross Country Meet, the Bishop Kenny community renamed the race. In September 1998, the inaugural Katie Caples course invitation took place, and it has since become a legacy for the school. In 2005, the Katie Caples Foundation was established from the contributions of her parents, Mr. David and Mrs. Susan Caples. They pursued the noble mission of promoting organ donation, inspired by their daughter’s aspiration. The meet organized by Bishop Kenny aims to promote a positive and hopeful environment while highlighting Caples’ identity as a student and runner.
“The [meet’s] significance to our team is that we not only keep her memory alive, but we also honor her values and personality,” said Bishop Kenny Girls Cross Country and Track & Field head coach Jackie Hardin. “As coaches we introduce our runners to who Katie was and what she did to save lives, and we ask our runners to privately reflect throughout the week [on] how they can incorporate the things that were important to Katie into their own lives.”
Syla was not the only competitor from the boys’ cross-country team to place at the Katie Caples Invitational. Senior Silas Cochran ran in the boys' varsity race, placing 34th with a time of 18:55.03. Cochran’s time aided in the boys’ varsity team’s placement of 11th out of 17 teams. He addresses how his supportive teammates foster the love he has for the sport and provide him a chance to race well, regardless of the circumstances.
“I believe having team members, family, and friends in the crowd provides a substantial boost to morale during a race,” said Cochran.
Stanton’s girls’ cross-country team arrived with the same level of determination as the boys, placing fourth out of 12 teams. Sophomore Elle Wight placed fourth in the girls’ varsity race with a time of 21:52.67 accompanied by junior Yuuki Wiesner in 16th place with a 22:46.41. As a returning runner for girls’ cross country, Wight has been persistent with her training and committed to setting up a new PR. In her first year on the team, Wight ran a best of 21:47.30. Wanting to improve her PR, she believes that the Katie Caples Invitational is a course to never underestimate because of its terrain, with adversaries to push you.
“My strategy during the race was to stay focused mentally and physically [on my form] and push myself by pacing with known competitors,” said Wight.
Alongside Wight, Wiesner, a first-year cross-country runner, also competed ferociously. Although she did not meet her race expectations, she accredited her encouraging teammates for pushing her to exceed the mentally challenging course and prevented others from passing her.
“The team’s support is always so impactful, [it] encourages me to push myself throughout the race,” said Wiesner. “It is [especially] helpful during times when I have a mental block and have a hard time getting though the race.”
The Bishop Kenny cross-country teams also hold the Katie Caples Invitational in high regard. Both the boys and girls aim to consistently work together, pushing their teammates and displaying how summer training is beneficial to their overall season.
“For the runners, I think it is their time to shine,” said coach Hardin. “I also think that this meet versus others is a time for them to really reflect on who they are as runners and what their role is on the team.”
The goal for hosting the Katie Caples Invitational aims to celebrate Caples’ legacy. As a runner, she strived to create a positive atmosphere. Today, cross country appears undervalued, with a multitude of people asking how simply running could qualify as a difficult sport. But for the runners themselves, cross country is an all-encompassing sport, where athletes develop mental toughness, teamwork, and personal growth. The Bishop Kenny community has encouraged runners to step out on this course and act with fearlessness and tenacity, like Caples. Throughout this meet, Stanton’s runners have developed resilience by pushing themselves to reach ambitions that seemed unattainable.