Fort Dodge assistant cross country coach Austin Read is hoping the Dodgers started another one this year.

The boys and girls cross country teams set out to run the distance from Fort Dodge to Storm Lake — 70 miles — by carrying a football in anticipation of Friday’s game.

“I thought it would be a great way to get the cross country kids to participate in the Homecoming festivities and to add some excitement to the week,” Read said. “I also wanted to give the kids a memorable experience to remember being part of the cross country team.”

Twenty-six Dodger runners ran laps around the high school and middle school, and collectively, they exceeded their goal, running a total of 115 miles. Each student ran anywhere from three to 13 miles.

“We set out with a goal of running 70 collective miles (distance from Storm Lake to Fort Dodge) while running with a football in hand to send some good luck to the football team for the Homecoming game,” Read said. “Our 26 runners exceeded that goal and ended up totaling around 115 miles.

“The kids really seemed to have a great time with it and were really motivated by the support they received from the community.”

To cap off the run, the Fort Dodge seniors handed the ball to the Dodger football team before the coin toss.

“Running for the new Homecoming tradition was really fun and inspiring,” said Fort Dodge senior Madelyn Stephan. “I was so grateful that I could have a chance to participate in this my senior year. I had a lot of fun running with my friends around the high school and middle school with the game ball.

“I love the idea of getting the other sports, especially as looked-over as cross country, to get into the festivities of Homecoming.”

The Dodger runners got the chance to run toward future Dodgers as well at the middle school.

“It was a lot of fun,” Major said. “I got to see the middle schoolers and some of the high schoolers outside cheering when we passed by the schools.”

Not only did the runners get involved as students from the high school and middle school cheered them on.

“It was amazing to see that we had so many more miles than we needed,” said sophomore Ella Johnson. “Everyone did their part and represented our team how we needed to.

“It was a really cool experience and I hope this tradition will continue for the rest of my high school years and many more after.”

Read, who is the assistant coach for head coach Joe Jackson, has been working on this plan for a while.

“I’ve been loosely planning this for about a year now because I’ve heard of it being done at other schools and always felt it was a really cool idea,” Read said. “I’m really proud of the kids stepping up and helping this idea become a reality.

“I’m looking to continue this tradition each year and hope to make it bigger and better in the future.”

Dodger sophomore Cael Hanson had a good time completing the task.

“It was cool to be a part of something new,” Hanson said. “I hope that it’s something we do in the future.”

Junior Aidan Recker was glad that the sport of cross country was able to be a part of the fall Homecoming.

“I think the run was really fun,” Recker said. “I felt good to be a part of starting a new tradition. I feel the cross country team doesn’t get much recognition, so it will be good to get the name out there and bring new runners in for next season.”

Jackson was more impressed by the Dodger teams and coach Read’s idea.

“Austin had a fantastic idea to involve the team with the Homecoming festivities,” Jackson said. “He made all of the necessary contacts, organized the runners, and implemented it to perfection.

“The kids really loved the idea and bought into it wholeheartedly. I’m really proud of their efforts and their Dodger spirit.”