EDWARDSVILLE - Senior Victoria Vegher said the Edwardsville High School cross country team has grown to become part of her family.
“My teammates have become like brothers and sisters and my coaches have become like parents to me," she said. "They are always been there for me when I need them and encouraging me in whatever I'm doing if that would be running or in the classroom. I don't know what I would do without cross-country.
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“Running at state is an amazing opportunity. I feel lucky to have been able finish my season out at state because not everyone gets to have the extra three weeks of postseason to race with their team. Being able to end at state is amazing because state is always the goal for the end of the season. It is an accomplishment to say my last race of my high school running career was at state.
“Many people may never get to experience state at all, I feel lucky that I was able to go every year and to have had my team make it to state all four years as well.
Vegher was 174th with an excellent time of 19:09 at the recent IHSA State Cross Country Meet.
“State wouldn't be the same without my teammates there on the line with me," she said. "I feel like they are what make the whole state experience special and meaningful to me.”
Vegher said she is undecided at the moment on my plans for the future.
“I hope to continue my running career into college and I plan on going into the medical field as a pediatric nurse,” she said. “My advice to the future girls is to never give up. No matter what anyone says or believes about you never believe them, they will only slow you down. Don't over think things, just run and prove to people what you are capable of and always aim to surprise. The only person who can stop you is yourself.”
Vegher said her most memorable cross-country moment would have to be the bus rides home from meets, again bringing up the family nature of EHS cross country.
“It's where most of our inside jokes come from and all of our little secrets we have,” she said. “Sometimes on the way home on the bus we will play music and the team will sing. One time the boys and girls team had a competition who could sing the best. It's always a lot of fun and every bus ride will be a little different and unexpected.”
