Cross country season is kicking – pardon the pun – in the area.
This past Thursday, the sports editor went to the Wichita Falls Invitational inside Kiwanis Park.
The course itself, despite being flat, isn’t the easiest to run, let alone walk.
The grass has burnt up from not receiving much rain in recent months and the course itself meanders like an unpredictable serpent around the boundary of the facility.
Cross country can be one of those overlooked sports, and unfortunately the blame can lie with people like me – the sports editor.
Football is king in Texas, and volleyball is the queen of fall sports for girls.
But, there’s also cross country, and plenty of it.
Today, the sports editor went to the Decatur Reunion Run inside Joe Wheeler Park.
I think it’s pretty special the Decatur Independent School District serves as host for not just one meet per year, but two.
Decatur takes the sport of cross country mighty seriously, as evidenced by all the success the Eagles and Lady Eagles have had.
The Lady Eagles have won state championships four times, the oldest from 1999 and the most recent in 2009.
Not to be outdone, Decatur’s boys have claimed state championships in 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2012. The credit goes to the runners for sacrificing themselves. And to head coach David Park.
The cross country team has its own website through Decatur ISD, complete with a glossary of workout terms, the rules of the road, runner placement and expectations for team leadership.
Cross country coverage ramps up as the season goes along.
Next Wednesday, Oct. 7, Bowie High School will have its first meet at home in a long time. The race will take place at Twisted Oaks Golf Course.
I am happy to see course superintendent Chad Thummel and owners Andy Duke, Dewayne Hamilton and Greg Vicars allow runners to use the facility.
The first time I visited Twisted Oaks, back when it was known as Top O’ The Lake, I thought it was the perfect venue for a meet.
There are enough hills to challenge the runners, and the ground is soft because the course is watered on a consistent basis. The venue is maintained immaculately, in other words.
There’s only drawback I can see having a meet at Twisted Oaks. But, it’s a minor issue. Parking is not ample for school vans and spectators.
However, that could be said for most of the meets I’ve attended throughout my career. Read more from this column in the weekend Bowie News.

Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.

Bowie’s Dane Lancaster continues his recovery from a rodeo accident, running for the junior high boys’ cross country team. Click on the image itself for the complete photo. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)