How do you manage both cross country and school?
Segreto: I think what’s good is that we have morning practices so we’re done before most classes start. The toughest part is really just finding time to do homework. Usually kids will be up until one in the morning studying, and I don’t have that luxury because of morning practices.
Daly: Just managing my free time correctly so whenever I have a spare minute between classes I’m sitting down doing homework. Any chance that I get a break from anything it’s always schoolwork first and keeping a balance.
What would you say cross country has helped you learn?
Segreto: It’s definitely helped me learn to never give up on stuff because it’s not only a physical sport, but a mental sport as well. There are times when you go through highs and lows just like in any other sport, so having that mentality to keep working hard and eventually results will come is key.
Daly: It definitely reinforces time management skills because if you are playing a sport, you realize that time is precious.
How exactly do the cross country meets go?
Segreto: There’s a top seven group for the varsity squad and the top five score. Depending on what place you get in the race, that’s the points you get. The team with the lowest points wins the meet so basically, you want to have as many guys as possible at the front of the race.
Daly: Typically, on a Saturday, we’ll show up to a meet at 6 a.m. and have a few hours before our race goes off. So, we’ll hang out and rest up. Then, an hour or so before the race, we’ll get our sweats on and do a light jog. Next, it’s race time.
What’s the typical turnout for Fairfield?
Segreto: We’re midway through the season, so we’re still training hard. We’ve usually gotten between second and fifth place in our meets. Each meet has gotten bigger so there are more teams competing, but it’s also hard to gauge how we’re doing now compared to in a month.
Daly: If it’s a small dual meet, you might get anywhere from 20 to 30 people cheering you on. If it’s a big invitational, you could get hundreds of spectators. I know for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and National Collegiate Athletic Association meets you’ll get hundreds if not a thousand people.
How’s the team chemistry?
Segreto: We’ve got a lot of good people, and since it’s a small team it’s kind of hard not to be close. It’s a very tight-knit group and everybody wants to get better and do well so it’s definitely a good atmosphere.
Daly: It’s awesome. When I was first looking at schools, this team reminded me exactly of my high school team. We’re all really close friends with each other so we all have fun and run well.
If you couldn’t run cross country at Fairfield, what other sport would you play here?
Segreto: I’d probably just do intramural volleyball, soccer, basketball and stuff like that. I’m definitely not talented enough in other sports to play on a varsity team.
Daly: Probably soccer because I grew up playing it since I was about nine years old. I was really into it.
What is your best experience so far as part of the cross country team?
Segreto: Definitely winning the varsity athlete talent show. We really go hard for that and winning last year was a great feeling. We put a lot of work into getting the right steps and because it worked out we won.
Daly: It would probably be the talent show we did last year. It was a really good bonding experience with the team and it was just funny to act like fools in front of the entire school. It showed the less serious side of the sport so it was fun to just chill out and act like idiots for once.
What first got you interested in the sport?
Segreto: In eighth grade, my friends did cross country and I did basketball. They told me it’s not bad and to just try it so I ran cross country with them for a season. Then, in high school, I did it to meet more people and I got good at it and just kept doing it.
Daly: The only reason I got started in cross country was back in eighth grade when I didn’t make the cut for my middle school soccer team. My dad told me that I should give cross country a try. He also said I was kind of fat, so I needed to lose weight.
What are your expectations for this season?
Segreto: I’m hoping for my best year yet and I’m on pace for it. Last year, I had a bit of a sophomore slump, but this year I’m on a good pace. I’m trying to help out the team scoring wise.
Daly: Team wise, we definitely want to be second or third in the MAAC. I think we have the means to do that, we just have to put the pieces together and have a good day on race day. I just want to be up there and help the team out as much as possible.
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