Redbird Cross Country Builds Momentum at Gans Creek: Cayde de Waal Reflects on Team Goals and Season Growth

NORMAL, Ill. – Friday Morning, the Illinois State Redbird Cross Country teams raced at the Gans Creek Classic held in Columbia, Missouri. This Invite saw the Redbirds face a tough field that included running powerhouses like the Big Ten’s Ohio State and UCLA, and the Big Twelves Texas Tech and Kansas. Missouri Valley Conference representation was also in attendance, with Northern Iowa, Belmont, and Drake also towing the field. In total, over 25 different teams raced at the seventh annual classic, with the Redbirds women finishing sixth in the Black 6K, and the men finishing eighth in the BLACK 8K.

Junior transfer Cayde de Waal (pictured first from right in featured image), who ran a 24:26:6 and came in 54th, posted a season-best time since joining the Redbirds. Finishing second for the Redbirds in the classic, de Waal spoke on his performance after the classic.

“Well, I was pretty stoked with the time, I mean, considering the course and everything… Yes, you could always give more. Obviously, in the race, you’ve got other factors you feel like you can’t give more, but after recollecting yourself over the weekend, [and] speaking to the coaches and your teammates,  you realize that, okay, you probably could have given a bit more, which is always a good thing.”

de Waal also touched on the team’s performance at Gans Creek and how the season has started for the Redbirds.

“Yes, I mean, it was a good team finish, but obviously, we know we can do better. We know where we can be, where we should be – I mean, we opened up at the home meet and already, just from the home meet, we [have] had a lot more improvement on a whole team scale, really.”

Looking forward, the Redbirds are set to face more MVC opponents soon at the Bradley Pink Classic and the Missouri Valley Conference Championships. de Waal discussed the conference opponents they raced against at Gans Creek and what the Redbirds are looking forward to in the future.

“…we beat those [MVC opponents] that we wanted to, and we got beaten by one that we weren’t expecting.  So, that kind of wakes us up and sets another target for us to chase.” de Waal continued, “Bradley Pink is one of those goals where we want to come out and show those teams that really haven’t really thought of us as a threat, that we are actually a threat, and we are there to hopefully contend for a conference title.”

With the cross-country season quickly closing in on the MVC championships and not far after NCAA regionals and championships, the teams are poised on training and setting their goals, and leaving their expectation high for the cross-country postseason.

“…as a team, [a] MVC title, that would probably be our biggest goal right now,” de Waal started, “qualifying for nationals is another goal.”

de Waal also spoke on how the team is preparing for these meets.

“…right now, it’s just race execution. I mean, we know in training workouts that we can execute it perfectly. It’s just, can we do that on a race? And I mean, we’ve got some pretty big expectations and goals for the season.”

With championship season looming, high expectations, and a desire for gold, the Redbirds root themselves in hard work and lift each other up every day in practice and in their competitions. de Waal, an international student athlete from South Africa who transferred in from Indian Hills Community College, stated how he and his teammates have motivated each other to push through a grueling season.

“We [the cross-country team] live close to each other. And I mean, knowing that, okay, we’re all going to go out there and do the same thing, we’re all in the same boat, chasing the same goal, dying for the same reason, is kind of inspirational. It’s really motivating, it keeps me going, and that’s what we do [as a team]. When someone doesn’t feel great, you pick them up, and that’s kind of how we’re trying to do it in a race. When a guy isn’t feeling too great and you come past him, you kind of tap him on the shoulder and say, ‘Hey, I’m here to help you.’ So that’s kind of what’s kept me motivated, and knowing that these guys are just putting in as much effort as I am and as much hard work as I am.”

de Waal and the Redbirds men’s and women’s team will tow the line next at in Peoria at the Bradley Pink Classic on October 17th.

For all things Redbird cross-country, stay tuned to WZND.