Coyotes cross-country teammates prove to be a tight bunch1 min read

By
Jeff Bear
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Flowers come in bunches, and so do grapes and bananas, but cross-country runners?

Only if they are Big Park Community School cross-country runners, because apparently those come in bunches too.

At their first meet of the season, Big Park’s Julian Travaglia, Hayden Bruce, Charlie Parrella and Nathan Hoyer finished in a bunch, placing 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th in a race of nearly 60 boys.

“They did it on their own,” Big Park cross-country coach Diane Schumacher said. “I mean, we certainly do train as a team — we always warm up, stretch and go out on a team run together, and we always cool down and end together.Even though cross-country is a very individualized sport, we have a team mentality.

“But this is a group of boys who are close as friends, but in practice they’re just always pushing each other and they kind of have that friendly competitiveness, so they definitely did that on their own that day.”

The four were not the first Big Park boys to cross the finish line — that distinction went to Seth Farmer, who finished sixth overall, followed closely by teammate Tony Van Devor, who finished eighth.

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For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Aug. 28, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.

Jeff Bear

Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.

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Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.