Tori Gaitan - What Makes Great Oak Successful

Okay, Tori, can you tell me your first and last name and then spell it?

Yeah, my name is Tori Gaitan, T-O-R-I-G-A-I-T-A-N.

Tori, what grade are you in?

I'm in 10th grade.

Tori, what's it been like for you being on this team, you know, last year and then now this year as a sophomore? What do you kind of—

I actually transferred here from Yucaipa, so it's a lot different from what my training used to be last year. I could tell I can tell it's stepped up a lot, even like freshman year and going to sophomore year, it's always a big transition in cross country and track. So it's been a lot harder, but it's been a good experience so far.

What do you think's kind of here is unique about the Great Oak program, what you guys have been doing and what you guys put in each day?

I think that we have a lot of hardworking kids and, you know, we just do every little thing, you know, every little thing counts, and so here we do every little thing and so it just kind of adds up and it makes our program something that's a lot different than everyone else's. When we do core, we make sure we do core right, make sure we do drills right, and the coaches make sure that everything we're doing is to the best of our ability. So I think that's what makes us different.

How important do you think it is to focus in and hone in on those little things, you know, for those end-of-season goals?

I think it's a big deal. You know, when you go to end the season, most teams start the season really well and some may die out at the end of the season. I think it's those little things like diet, little things you do like core stretching, are all the little things that end up making the big difference at the end of your season.

Can you walk me through kind of today's workout for you? How did you feel? How do you think the team looked, you know, running out there today?

I think we did well. We started the morning with 12 miles. You know, Mondays are always kind of a tiring day going into the afternoon, but I think we did well. Hill sprints are always a challenge going through them, but you just kind of have to get them done, put your head down, grind, get through them. So I think we did that well today, performed the way we wanted the workout to go.

And then how do you think this kind of workout plays into your overall season? Season, you know, the big picture, the outlook there?

I think like this workout, doing hill sprints really helps you on your kick. You know, your kick is something that at the end of, not just like at the end of the season, at state when it really matters and those last points when you need to make up by catching other girls on the kick, I think the hill sprints really help play into that.

You know, being new to the team, I'm sure you know the history of Great Oak and just how much they've done. What's it like to be a part of that and what are you guys looking to do this season to kind of continue that success?

It's a— it could almost be pressuring, but it's actually really inspiring to be part of the Great Oak team. I think that we have a lot riding on our shoulders in graduating some of the top 5 of the senior girls last year, that we have a lot of pressure, but I think overall that we're gonna come and surprise some people. I think Great Oak always comes back when people don't expect it, so I think we're gonna do that this season.

And what are those goals? What are you guys hoping to kind of show people?

We just want to show them that, you know, even though we graduated, it's the same team, you know, we're still the same Great Oak team that people fear at state, that we're gonna come back and win state and continue our role on that.

Awesome. Anything else you'd have to add about today's workout, about the season, about the team?

Just that I think the girls team may be the underdogs this year, and I think we're gonna really surprise some people.

Awesome.