The Ty Steorts Interview with Mike McMillion (dated 11/06/2022)

 

Ty Steorts, a sophomore at Hurricane High School, recently won the WVSSAC Class AAA boy's state cross-country meet at Cabell Midland High School in Ona (WV) with a time of 15:27.14. He broke the tape 14.07 seconds ahead of his next-closest competitor, teammate Aaron Kidd (15:41.21) and led the Redskins to a second-place finish as a team. Hurricane’s Nick Kennedy held the fifth spot, giving Hurricane three of the top five.

During the regular season, Steorts was also the fastest West Virginia competitor at the adidas XC Challenge at Cary (NC), finishing second overall in 15:00.1. He also placed first out of 354 runners at the Louisville XC Classic at Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville (KY), crossing the line with a time of 15:12 for 5K. Steorts also ran extremely well for Hurricane during his freshman year. At the WVSSAC AAA Boy’s Cross Country Championships in 2021, he was runner-up for 5K (16:20.24), and Hurricane placed third overall. At the outdoor state track championships, Steorts placed ninth in the 1600m (4:32.38) and was runner-up in the 3200m (9:12.89).

Steorts is the first male runner from Hurricane High School to win an individual state cross-country title in sixty-four years of its running. He is also only the fifth male runner from Putnam County to do so. Other Putnam County runners: Todd McMillion of Poca (1986); Hayden Harrison of Buffalo (2015); Aaron Withrow of Winfield (2017, 2018); Brayden Marshall of Winfield (2021, 2022). Alex Dent was the first female from Hurricane HS to win an individual state cross-country title and the first Putnam County female winner.

Ty is the son of Jason and Sara Steorts, and has an older brother, Chase.

I recently caught up with Ty Steorts and asked him some questions about his recent success and history with running.

 

Mike McMillion – Congrats on the individual 5k title and the team runner-up championship at the WVSSAC Cross Country Championships. You have had quite a fall!

Ty Steorts - Yes, Thank you! I have had a great fall!

 

MM - Aside from running, what do you most enjoy about attending Hurricane High School?

TS - I like going to football games on Friday nights and hanging out with my friends.

 

MM – What is the hardest part about juggling running and your studies at school?

TS – I run right after I finish school which gives me a lot of time in the evening to do schoolwork.

 

MM - Let us focus now on how you first started running. Is anyone in your family a runner, and when did you first start running?

TS – My mom went to WVU on a track and xc scholarship. I started running when I was in middle school.

(Note: Ty’s mom is Sara Greene of George Washington High School. She won the 3200-meter run at the 1988 Class AAA girls state track meet.)

 

MM - Did you participate in other sports besides track and cross-country in middle school or high school?

TS – I played basketball during my freshman year. I also love snowboarding.

 

MM – When did you first start to have success at running?

TS – When I ran for Hurricane Middle School.

 

MM – Can you talk a little bit about Coach Jimmy Cunningham’s training philosophy?

TS – Jimmy is a good coach. He is also a lifelong runner, so he has experience.

(Note: Coach Cunningham was an all-state runner in track and cross country at Nitro HS back in the mid to late 1980s. He also ran at Marshall University and now currently runs Marathons.)

 

MM - What type of mileage did you do in the off-season and during the season this year?

TS – My teammates Aaron, Nick and I typically run thirty to forty miles a week. During the season we had team practice daily hitting around thirty miles a week tops.

 

MM – What did a typical week look like during the cross-country season?

TS – Monday: Workout Day; Tuesday: Mid Long Run Day; Wednesday: Mid Long Run Day or Workout; Thursday: Mid Long Run Day; Friday: Pre-Race Mileage; Saturday - Race Day; Sunday - Rest or Long Run.

 

MM – Which do you like running more: cross-country or track? Why?

TS - Cross Country, the atmosphere is better all-around, and I enjoy running all the different courses.

 

MM - What’s your favorite training workouts for cross-country and track?

TS – I enjoy 1Ks and Aerobic type workouts, speed isn’t my thing.

 

MM – As a first-year student you were state runner-up in cross-country. This year you won the individual state title and became the first runner from Hurricane High to do so. How are you feeling?

TS - It is a great feeling as an individual, but I am a little disappointed that as a team we did not win a state championship.

 

MM – What would you say is your greatest strength as a runner?

TS – I have a really strong mentality when it comes to running.

 

MM – What would you say is the area that you would like to improve upon over the next two years of high school?

TS – I would like to improve upon my mid-distance running PRs. I definitely would like to get those times lower than what they are now.

 

MM – Can you tell us about Hurricane’s team chemistry?

TS – Our team chemistry was extremely close. We always have each other’s backs with everything, and we are like brothers.

 

MM – What do you contribute your team’s success to?

TS – We always want each other to do great. Like I said, we are extremely close, and we bring out the best in each other.

 

MM – When you heard the announcer say that Hurricane placed three runners in the top ten, what was going through your mind? Did you like Hurricane’s chances?

TS – Whenever I heard this from the announcer I got a huge pump, I was so excited, and I was really liking our odds as a team!

 

MM - What was it like battling the four-peat state champion University High cross-country team?

TS – They are a great team non the less, our team this year thought we had a chance to battle it out with them.

 

MM - Cabell Midland’s awards ceremony is pretty amazing. What was it like to get all-state and stand on that podium with all those outstanding runners, especially with two of your teammates?

TS – That was definitely my favorite memory from that day, the ceremony was super cool, and I can’t wait for it next year too!

 

MM – Now that the cross-country season for the WVSSAC is over, will you take part in any national races like the Foot Locker Championships or the Nike XC Race?

TS – Yes, I am planning to participate in the Foot Locker Championships. I am also planning on heading down to Alabama to race the Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships.

 

MM – Final few questions, what goals have you set for the outdoor track season?

TS – I am really pushing to go 4:12ish in the 1600m and 8:50ish in the 3200m!

 

MM - Who has had the greatest influence in your life? Why?

TS – Nick Kennedy, because he has a strong work ethic, thinks before he acts, and always has my back.

 

MM – Thanks for your time, Ty. I wish you and the Hurricane High cross-country team continued success in the future.

TS - THANK YOU!

 

Ty Steorts (Hurricane HS) – 10th Grade

2022 Cross Country Season Results (5,000 Meters):

1 - 14:56.4PR      Aug 27                   Dutch Miller Invitational

1 - 15:45.8           Sep 03                   St. Mary's XC Classic

2 - 16:31.3           Sep 10                   Fairland Dragons Run by the River

2 - 15:00.1           Sep 17                   adidas XC Challenge

1 - 15:36.0           Sep 24                   Covered Bridge Invitational

1 - 15:12.0           Oct 01                   Louisville XC Classic

1 - 15:59.0           Oct 08                   MSAC Championship

1 - 15:48.6           Oct 20                   WVSSAC Reg. 4 AAA Cross Country Championships

1 - 15:27.2           Oct 29                   WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships