September Athlete of the Month: Masey Zimmerman

Our student athlete of the month is Masey Zimmerman. She is a new student to Frazier Mountain High School, and is very familiar with the fall sport she represents: Cross Country. Cross Country is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. Masey is a Junior, and enjoys being a part of FMHS’s Cross Country team of 9.

FB (The Falcon Beat): How long have you been running? What encouraged you to join the Cross Country team?

MZ (Masey Zimmerman): My mom is the coach and I’ve been running with her since 8th grade. At first I didn’t like it but I began to respect running more and more later on.

FB: Your mom is the coach of the team. Why did she want the job?

MZ: She ran in college and fell in love with it. She is a great coach and knows what she is doing.

FB: Like your mom, do you plan on running after high school?

MZ: I might run in college. I don’t plan on getting a scholarship for it, but running is something I enjoy.

FB: How do you work with your teammates? What is it like being the only girl?

MZ: We all encourage each other, and there is no real competition between us. We push each other to do greater and to get better. We learn pacing, and I tend to stick with someone who is better at pacing so I can learn myself. Being the only girl on the team is a little awkward sometimes. I know I am definitely the slowest, but it’s an individual sport and you can always push yourself as well. In the end, I don’t mind being the only girl that much and I like my team overall.

FB: What would you say to anyone thinking about joining cross country?

MZ: Running is good for your heart and body. You’ll learn the right form and get better as you go. It really pays off. Cross Country is mental as much as it is physical.

FB: Thank you for the interview, Masey. Good luck this season, and thank you for telling us about your team.

#athleteofthemonth #crosscountry