Jimmy Rizzo
Staff Writer
Senior Tom Chenault was the captain of a State-qualifying cross country team, he’s a member of the tripod organization, and he is also an Eagle Scout.
“Tom is sort of like an older brother to the team; without him I really wouldn’t know when to start warming up or where to go before races start,” said junior Clay Sharp.
Chenault said, “The best part about being a leader is seeing people’s progress and seeing them meet their goals.”
Chenault was overall the fastest cross country runner for Webster Groves and placed 16th as a team in Class Four at State and 21st for all teams who were in the State meet.
Track Coach Jonathan Petter said, “Tom is a kid who will always carry the water at a meet, or lead the drills. He’s also not a guy who will tell people what to do. He leads by example.”
Cross country Coach Daniel Seben said, “To be a leader, you have to lead by example and be vocal. Tom shows up to practice every day, he works hard, and he motivates other kids to work harder. Without doing what he needs to, people wouldn’t listen to him. That makes Tom a really good leader.”
Seben added, “Having Tom on the team this year benefited us a lot because he was a strong runner, and he could get our younger guys to work harder. We will miss Tom next year.”
