Welcome to #TIGERTALK – a SweetwaterNOW exclusive series where Rock Springs High School Tigers inspire our community by telling their stories in their own words.
Aria Wheeler
Hello! My name is Aria Wheeler, and I am a member of the Rock Springs High School cross country team. This year I will be a senior and I’m excited to be a leader and example for the younger kids.
I started cross country in 6th grade, and at the time, I lived in Newcastle, Wyoming. I didn’t really know what cross country was, but my mom said I would enjoy it. So, I trusted her. She was so right. From the very beginning, I’ve had great coaches who have made running fun. I continued running my 7th grade year and fell even more in love with the sport.
My 8th grade year I moved to Rock Springs. The best thing I remember about the year was spending almost every moment with my friend Stevie Miller.
The summer of my 8th grade year was the first time I participated in the summer running program run by coach Urlacher and coach Louderback. I had a blast. From running hill sprints to eating donuts and playing tag, I loved all of it.
Throughout high school I’ve had wonderful teammates who have helped the team feel like a family. I’ve also been blessed with wonderful coaches who make cross country about more than just running. I love everything about cross country: the easy runs, the hard runs, the bus rides, the meets, team dinners, everything.
This year my biggest goal once again is to take top 10 at state. I’ve put in many miles over the summer and I believe I can achieve this goal. I am also shooting for a 19:30 5k.
Along with many other members of the cross country team, I am also a member of the Rock Springs High School marching band. This year I am the percussion captain and I am marching snare drum. In addition to band, I also participate in indoor track and field as well as outdoor track and field.
I’m still unsure if I want to run in college, but right now my plan after high school is to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At this time I’m also not 100% sure what I’ll go into for my major, but I’m pretty sure it will have something to do with math.
I don’t say it often, but my coaches are the best! To my coaches, I want to thank you for taking me in and helping me to become the person I am now. Not only have you helped me find my love for running, but you have also been amazing role models in my life. I also want to thank my parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends for supporting me. Thank you for showing up to my races and encouraging me; it really means a lot.
We have a wonderful group of runners this year that I believe will make this season one of the most memorable. I am excited for this season, and I can’t wait to get started!
Owen Berry
Hello! My name is Owen, and I am a student as well as an athlete at Rock Springs High School. I am about to enter my senior year of school, but most importantly, my senior year of cross country! This will be my fourth season running for the Rock Springs cross country team.
During junior high, I never really fit in with any of my peers. So, out of the blue, I decided that I wanted to try cross country. There was no apparent reason for joining a sport, let alone the most humbling sport there is!
Humbling may not be the right word. Through all of the grueling practices in the heat, my high school coaches, Mr. Eric Urlacher and Mrs. Bridget Louderback, created an environment for the “lost dogs” to find a home. Although cross country is all about the daily grind, my coaches still make practice a time to look forward to at the end of the day after school. I really enjoy the work-hard, play-hard atmosphere that comes with being on the team.
One of my favorite memories is from my first overnight trip; One of our teammates had an alarm set for 4:00 a.m. and continued every 5 minutes until,(when we were supposed to be up) 6:15 a.m. Of course, he didn’t wake up to any of the alarms, and one of our roommates eventually got tired of hearing the alarm every five minutes. He decided to do something about it, so he started to sit up from the ground and smashed his head into the underside of a nightstand. With a groan and a sigh, he laid back down defeated, and I continued to battle the alarm.
At about 6:00 a.m., the teammate who had set the alarms finally woke up, and we started talking about how he must have some bolt loose. We all got up and headed to breakfast when, come to find out, I had been hitting the snooze button for almost two and a half hours!
At breakfast, I started peeling a banana. One of the girls on the team thought that the peel was “so perfect” and wanted a picture. I held it up for a picture, when the teammate who had set all the alarms ate the entire banana in one bite—which happened to be caught on camera.
It was definitely a memorable first overnight trip to say the least.
Going into my senior season, I want to soak up the year and make the most of my last cross country season at Rock Springs High School.
I also run indoor and outdoor track and am involved in various other activities, including fly fishing, rock climbing, and most things in the CTE department.
After high school, I plan to work in the wildland firefighting service for the summer immediately after graduation. I also plan on attending the University of Wyoming.
Cross country has given me a place where I can work hard, have fun, and be surrounded by people who make the long practices and tough days worth it. I am looking forward to making the most of my senior year and seeing what this final season has in store.
Cross country has taught me that the best things in life are often the things that most people won’t do. It has brought me out of my shell and allowed me to become who I am today. I’m grateful that I decided to give cross country a try, and I’m looking forward to making the most of my season as a Rock Springs Tiger.
I would like to thank my coaches, both past and present, as well as SweetwaterNOW for this opportunity.
