By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Establishing a team culture that is built around being a family is something that all teams strive for.

When your team is a family, that definitely makes it a lot easier.

Amidst a season full of success to this point, the Mogadore cross country team is doing it with many of the same names.

Between the junior high and high school, the Wildcats’ rosters feature 13 total siblings.

That equates to 34 percent of the program’s entire roster.

Katie, Lauren and Jessica Holler.

Ari and Julie Tompkins.

Lonnie and Everett Massey.

Katie and Jack Lane.

Mia and Kai Gaetjens.

Alejandro and Dante Navarrete.

The Mogadore cross country team is absolutely a family.

“What stands out is how the older siblings recruit their younger brothers, sisters and cousins,” Mogadore head coach Diana Morris said. “They end up liking it so much that it becomes a family sport.”

Running alongside their family members may help get them into the sport or allow them to expand in their abilities, however, some credit still needs to be directed toward Morris and her approach to building the team and growing their expectations.

Morris fell in love with running when she made a decision to run a half marathon as a fundraiser for a local mother who was battling breast cancer.

“That was before online platforms, so I just went door to door or talked to people in person to ask them if they would sponsor me a dollar or so a mile,” Morris recalled.

The Holler sisters — Katie, Lauren and Jessica.

Running continued to be an avenue to help for Morris. In 2009, her longtime high school friend found out their 9-year-old daughter had serious brain cancer. Morris and her husband signed up for the Akron Marathon and began fundraising again. Except this time, Morris created a full group of runners called “Miles for Melana.”

“We got over 50 other runners to join us,” Morris said. “Melana was there at the finish and that was incredible to know we were running for her. Sadly, she lost her battle just one month later. At that time, I didn’t think I would ever run another marathon. I did return to the Akron Marathon the following year and have done over 25 full marathons since.”

Morris has seemingly shown her Wildcats that finding success in running has to be created by something inside each individual.

“They seem to understand that running is about so much more than medals and finish times,” Morris said. “They know we will work hard but the motivation has to be for something deeper and bigger. “I have seen many of them step out and volunteer at various running events. They gain confidence and maturity through not only the difficult training, but also in what we discuss and focus on.”

The Navarrete brothers — Alejandro and Dante.

Part of that focus is on the high expectations set for the program — all inside an atmosphere that maintains fun and fosters relationships.

And wins a lot too, with the girls program currently ranked ninth in the state in this week’s OATCCC state poll.

The Wildcats have emerged as one of the strongest Division III programs in the area, with multiple runners showcasing the ability to advance to the state championship at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park on Nov. 5.

If all goes Mogadore’s way, the location could become a family reunion.