During an early morning workout at Cottonwood park, freshman Nathan Rodriguez was enveloped by his teammates shouting, “Nathan hurry up we don’t want to do pushups.” Sweat beads ran down his face as his arms gave out. Lifting up his face from the cement, it felt like a ton of bricks were weighing on his back. As he breathed in deep to finish his last push up, a huge wave of relief came over him.

“I come from the Army, and we do things a certain way, if they’re late, we do push-ups, Head Cross Country Coach John Torres said. It’s all to make them better, and it’s worth it.”

A big part of the team’s success was the introduction of army culture where Torres served as a field artillery officer.

“I do think a certain way, and the kids might not enjoy it at first, but the results have worked, and we’re like a family,” Torres said. I treat them just like soldiers, whether they like it or not, and we have a good time. It makes them strong, and they run fast.”

He has taught the runners responsibility, as well as punctuality, implementing the core army beliefs. These critical life skills have led to their run times going lower while building camaraderie.

Senior Owome “Will” Bernard, while reflecting on what Coach Torres taught him said “The biggest thing Coach Torres has taught me is to never give up and to always persevere”.

Not only has Torres taught the runners essential life skills, but he has also learned important knowledge in return.

“In terms of what they have taught me, I learned a lot from the girls, ’cause I’ve never coached girls before in this capacity,” Torres said. “I mean, it’s okay to have a softer side, and I appreciate it.”

“Coach using army techniques really brought us back to reality because no one was really taking practice seriously. said sophomore Mariany Rojas.” It helped us get into a routine and gain a new respect for the sport”.

The idea of dress-up days dates back to Torres’ days in high school.

“Yeah, so my high school back in Oklahoma, when we won the state championship, every Friday was a different theme from our coach,” Torres said.

Torres said he hopes to instill the belief that the team works better together,.

“You basically are a unit, and you do goofy things together,” he said. “When things get bad, you’ve got your brothers to lean on, and that’s big here.”