Success often begins in the quiet moments of the day. Although many high school sports teams begin with grueling practices everyday, cross country and girls volleyball take time to read together during lunch. Once a week, cross country coach Michael Nestor spends One Lunch reading and discussing motivational books with team members, and this time has proved invaluable to many of the athletes.
“Going to book club really helps me be a better person overall,” sophomore Nathan Crickard said.
The book talks do not solely focus on athletic themes, instead they carry lessons that can be applied to every aspect of life from school to work.
“It helps me keep a positive mindset when I am running,” freshman Cameron Culley said.
Currently, both teams are reading a book by sports psychologist Joshua Medcalf, with cross country reading the book, “Win in the Dark” and volleyball reading “Chop Wood Carry Water.”
“It started in 2020 because we were not able to meet together for practice,” said Nestor. “Since then, we have kept it going because it has been very helpful.”
Cross country’s success since then has been indisputable; the girls’ team has won four out of five state championships, and the boys have won two regional championships since 2020, according to MileStat.
Additionally, girls volleyball started their season with a 12-4 record, according to MaxPreps.
“This is really what separates Ocean Lakes from everyone else,” Nestor said.
