Joplin High School senior cross-country runner Chance Tindall will enter his final year of high school competition looking for redemption – the kind of redemption that would see him end his high school career on a podium. “I’m coming off a great cross-country season but then a disappointing track season, I’m very hungry. My goal this season is to run under the 15 minute barrier and to place top five at the state meet. This seems ambitious, but I’ve created and completed goals that seemed impossible in the past.”
The Eagles return a strong nucleus from last season, and Tindall believes that they have the depth to qualify not only several individuals, but also the team as a whole. To do that, they will need more than just ambitious goals. They will need discipline, commitment, and leadership. Chance feels that he can be the person to push his teammates to that goal, “As the current fastest on the team I’ve found myself in many situations where I am the leader of the team. This brings a lot of responsibility when it comes to keeping people accountable and making sure everyone is doing what needs to be done for our team to succeed.”
To be a leader and hold others accountable, Chance knows that he must start by looking after his own issues, so that he can lead by example. To that end, he worked in the off-season on shoring up his training regimen, “I definitely addressed my inconsistencies in my training. There are times when I find myself with a lack of motivation to run, whether that be on my own or with the team. But this season I’ve really made a commitment to train consistently.”
After placing ninth at state a year ago, Tindall expects more from himself this season. However, while his focus is on the finish line, he is very aware that he needs to enjoy the journey to get there, “There’s a lot to look forward to in our upcoming season, such as growing closer as a team and competing together, but I’m most looking forward to making great memories with a great team.”
After high school, Tindall plans to continue to run at the collegiate level. He would like to study business and finance.
