Florida A&M men’s cross-country team hasn’t won a championship since 1988, but the vision Coach Wayne Angel has for the team is something that will break a quarter-century curse.
“In preparation for each meet, we have goals and objectives that we have to meet,” Angel said. “And once we do that, we move forward.”
Angel said the men’s cross-country team prepares for races two to three weeks before competition. This week, the Rattlers have prepared to compete at the Seminole Invitational Friday.
Only Florida State University, the host of the invitational, has a regionally ranked team in the top 10.
“I think the biggest challenge for us this week at the FSU meet is we want to see if we can finish out and be the No. 2 team there and see how we strike up against the Seminoles,” Angel said. “So we will step it up a notch and see if we can come out with a south regional rank in cross-country.”
The Rattlers finished fourth overall last weekend in Gainesville.
Shuaib Winters, a third- year construction engineering and technology student from Conyers, Ga., and a team captain, said he has to make sure he is prepared mentally, hydrated and sticks around friends for positivity before the race.
“The most difficult thing for this meet is conditioning for the race,” Winters said. “I’m used to running in the morning. I’m definitely ready. It’s my last year. I’m looking to do big things.”
Dieumy Duclos, a second-year mechanical engineering student from Lake Wales, Fla., believes that this meet will be more successful than the last.
“We’re pretty ready,” Duclos said. “The last race went well, and I feel we are a lot stronger and faster than last year.”
The meet begins at 6:20 p.m. on Friday at Apalachee Park.