The 2026 Cross Country season marks a new chapter for Valor Christian as Head Coach Greg Coplen returns to lead the program after previously serving as head coach from 2012 through 2022.
"I'm just incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be back at Valor after four years away. A lot has changed over those four years, but the vision for our program has not. We want to honor Jesus in the way we train, the way we compete, the way we support our teammates, and the way we support the people we compete against. And along the way, we want to go after some pretty big dreams together."
The Eagles enter 2026 in a rebuilding season, with both the boys and girls teams looking to take some big steps forward. While there is plenty of work ahead, there is also a lot of excitement about the group that has come together.
The boys return several key athletes, including 2025 individual state qualifier Lucas Santos. The girls also have several important returners, led by 2025 individual state qualifier Gia Gerrard. Both teams have also added a lot of new faces who will have opportunities to play key roles this fall.
One of the primary themes for Valor this season is one day at a time, one mile at a time, one interval at a time.
"That really comes from the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:34: 'Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' We're just trying to stay in the day. We don't need to worry about where we're going to be in October. We need to take care of today. Run this mile well. Run this interval well. Be a great teammate today. And then we get up tomorrow and do it again."
While the Eagles are focused on the day-to-day process, they aren't afraid to have big goals. Both the boys and girls teams will be working toward earning a spot at the Colorado State Cross Country Championships this fall.
"We believe both teams are capable of getting to the state meet. We know that isn't going to just happen because we want it to happen. We have a lot of work to do between now and then. But I believe in these kids, and I believe in what this group can become. We're going to dream big, work hard, take care of each other, and just keep stacking one good day on top of another."
For Valor Cross Country, the goal in 2026 is pretty simple: honor Jesus, love and support one another, chase some big dreams, and take it one day at a time.
