Burnet Relay Invitational cross-country meet opens season
JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER
BURNET — Area high school cross-country teams will compete at the Burnet Relay Invitational on Aug. 22.
The varsity girls start the meet at 7:30 a.m. followed by varsity boys, junior varsity girls and junior varsity boys. All races are at Haley Nelson Park, 301 Garden Trails Drive.
Since it’s a relay meet, coaches will divide teams into three-person squads. Each athlete will run 1.3 miles then hand off a baton to another teammate.
Burnet head coach Stuart Dixon said participating in a relay meet to begin the season has many benefits.
“It creates a fun atmosphere for all the teams,” he said. “I feel like you are trying to create a team atmosphere with cross country. It’s difficult, but a relay will do that.”
Athletes will still get in a good run without the pressure of completing the traditional race of 3.1 miles.
“It’s a different change of pace of what the kids are used to,” the coach said.
As for the Bulldogs and Lady Dawgs, Dixon has a list of things he’s looking for.
“I want to get my guys and gals out there to compete and see where their fitness level is. I want to see how they’re going to compete.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com