West Florida High cross country coach Jeff Oliver thinks big. That's why Saturday's Gulf Coast Cross Country Stampede will be big, too.
Oliver, who organized the event, has brought in 44 high school teams — in addition to college and middle school teams — to compete against each other at the Escambia County Equestrian Center.
"(The Stampede) has definitely grown," Oliver said. "It's got 44 (high school) teams coming, which is twice as many as most cross country meets have around here."
The Stampede, which began as the Pine Forest Invitational under former Pine Forest coach Greg Pack, is the largest area meet. Racing against hundreds of other runners is an exciting and rare opportunity for many area athletes.
"There's so many people who run in the race," said West Florida High junior Sam Cobb, who competed in last year's Stampede. "At the starting line, you're there with like 350 other guys. And on the first straightaway — the first quarter-mile even — you don't know what's happening. It's a lot of adrenaline and a lot of fun."
