By Anthony Crozzoli

A Laurentian Voyageurs men’s cross-country running team will make its return to the Voyageurs Athletics family in September 2015.

The announcement came this past week, revealing the reinstatement of the men’s team to compliment the women’s cross-country/track and field team. The decision to axe the original program came in 2000 due to budget cuts, but the demand for a men’s team had reached an all-time high, and the time was right to re-instate the team.

Guiding the team from the coach’s corner will be head coach Dick Moss and associate head coach, Darren Jermyn.

Coach Moss said there is “an excellent support system is in place with sport psychology, osteopathy, massage, gait analysis, physiotherapy and yoga all available. The guys can compete at the same meets and train at the same venues, so logistics are relatively easy.”

This team will also focus highly on cross-country and distance running, similar to its female counterpart.

The women’s cross country/track team has enjoyed relative success recently, with multiple members qualifying for the OUA’s and in Katie Wismer’s case, breaking records. The men’s team looks to continue that tradition of a strong pedigree of athletics.

The university has given the team an athletic scholarship budget that can be combined with Laurentian’s academic scholarships, so the opportunity is there for prospective athletes.

Laurentian’s own trails, fields and track will be the scene for training on campus, and as Moss stated, the team will also be hitting Bell Park and the conservation area for additional practice.

Expectations are for a fresh start even with a late beginning at recruitment, and an adjustment period for the incoming athletes from the high school level in the community and surrounding area.

The coaching staff is currently looking for male distance runners and middle distance athletes with excellent endurance capabilities, although recruiting has already begun and the Voyageurs can expect to have several runners joining next year.

Coach Moss urges those interested to take up the call, stating, “with September just a few months away, we’re behind with our recruiting. But we do have some excellent prospects that we’ve contacted, and we’re inviting any potential recruits to contact us.”

For more information about the men’s track team, contact Dick Moss at dmoss@laurentian.ca.