Allensworth’s young cross-country athletes capture their community’s spirit as they compete at invitationals ranging from local meets to the national stage. Guided by Head Coach Humberto Vargas and Assistant Coach Tekoah Kadara, these runners are a testament to the unique agility, talent, and resilience fostered in small towns.
Building on their community’s spirit, Allensworth runners have competed at nationals for the past two years, seeking another title. Community fundraising allowed Coach Vargas to bring nearly all runners to Nationals—first in Tallahassee, then in North Carolina. Going into the national championship, the 7- to 8-year-old division girls’ team was ranked seventh out of 76 schools, but fought vigorously to bring home the national title, reflecting the team’s dedication and the community’s support.
Coach Vargas talking to his athletes. Photo by Crystal Navarro.
“We hope to retain our title this year. Whatever happens, I’ll push our runners to do their best,” said Vargas.
This dedication continues to energize the athletic program founded in 2023, which aims to uplift Allensworth’s youth through running, offering friendship and life lessons with each stride.
This philosophy was evident at a recent practice in Colonel Allensworth Historic Park: when six-year-old Mackenzie tripped during her run, Kadara comforted her and encouraged her to look forward—a lesson central to the program.
Zion Kadara, finishing his workout. Photo by Crystal Navarro.
Vargas tells his athletes, “You might hate me now, but you’ll love me later.”
Both coaches emphasized motivating their athletes by encouraging self-belief and a drive to keep improving.
“We remind the kids what they’ve accomplished and how much they still have in them. Like McFarland, my kids are national champions, and maybe someday there’ll be a movie about them,” said Kadara.
Much like the story of the McFarland runners, which brought national attention to a rural community, Allensworth echoes that same spirit as the town faces limited recreational options.
Coach Kadara and Coach Vargas motivating the runner to complete her workout. Photo by Crystal Navarro.
“I know it’s a lot of pain they go through during practice, but I just make them believe in themselves. The hard work we put in at the end of the day it’s going to benefit them as a team, but also as individual runners; they’re going to see that success,’’ said Vargas.
At the start of the program, the young runners struggled with their confidence but grew immensely beyond that point, according to both coaches.
“They now believe in themselves, they believe in their teammates, they run together, play together, and they do a lot of activities together, and overall their confidence is great, it’s there,” said Vargas.
Every day, these runners demonstrate their grit, dedication, and friendships that have flourished within the sport.
Allensworth runners caught sunset during their last lap of workout. Photo by Crystal Navarro.
The runners reflected on what they enjoy most about cross-country.
Sarai, a five-year-old athlete, said, “I like to run a lot and run fast.”
Brianna Vargas, an 8-year-old, shared that her favorite race so far has been the one held at the Allensworth Historic Park. Vargas came in 15th during the last Nationals race in North Carolina in 2024.
“This division is easier, but still challenging. I placed first last year,” said Zion Kadara.
Amari Ruiz, an eighth-grader running with the team, stated that she has enjoyed the memories and personal records she has made through the sport.
“I get to make memories with a bunch of people I grew up with, build new friendships, and meet new people,” said Alexa Toscano, who runs in Division 8.
Toscano continued to talk about the hard work that goes into running on the team and what she sees in the other runners.
“I was hard on myself, trying to make everyone proud in my hometown,” said Toscano. “A lot of kids have potential, and all of them work very hard for the place that they get, and that’s the way they train, they give it all out. They give everything.”
