Harrier Knights: The Rosa's are Dedicated to their Teammates

Joe and Jim Rosa have always been competitive. 


Their competitive juices were flowing as early as 5th grade when they crashed each others classes to gain an advantage for the gym class mile run.  "I remember one time I interrupted Jim's 5th grade class to ask what he had run so I could try and beat him.  His teacher got pretty mad", Joe said.  He added that they joined the track team in 6th grade and began cross country in 8th grade.
 

"But we never really put in good training until we got to high school". 
 

Jim added that running was part of getting into basketball and baseball shape but "when we got to high school and were running with a lot of cool guys, we realized that cross country was the best sport for us". 
 

 

That is the attitude that Joe and Jim bring to a very individual sport.  The team is their focus, and also the focus of West Windsor Plainsboro Coach Brian Gould.  "I preach to them, but that [team focus] is just their character.  They want to take their team somewhere". (Photo by Maroon News)

 

There is no hesitation when it comes to choosing the team over individual glory.  Joe credits Coach Gould for the success of the team, saying "He [Coach Gould] is able to get 40 high school boys motivated to put themselves through tough workouts every day.  He always says you will run harder for someone else than yourself". 
 

Jim reflected on the other job a coach has, "Coach Gould is the best coach I could have hoped for.  He always has a story that will help us get through practice or big races, and he also teaches us so many lessons that go beyond running". 


Joe also had high praise for his coach, saying that he "couldn't have asked for a better coach; he keeps our long term future in mind". 


The temptation for a coach to see what athletes like the Rosa's are capable of must be tempting, especially for a coach with Gould's background.  Brian Gould ran for Hatboro-Horsham (Penn.), and "fought just to make varsity, but through that I learned that [cross country] is the most difficult team sport, every individual is accountable".


He adds that, "I get nervous for them [Joe and Jim] before their races.  I am excited to coach them and confident that we are doing the right things.  They are having a special pair of seasons". (Photo by Don Rich)


Special just might be an understatement when it comes to the season the Rosa's are having. 


It began on a quiet September morning in Philadelphia's Belmont Plateau Park where Joe dismantled his own 15:33.1 course record with a time of 15:19.3.  Jim was 2nd in 15:38.


It turns out that was just a warm-up.


At the Shore Coaches Invitational Joe surprised everyone but himself when he took down another course record, this time running 15:04 at the storied Holmdel Park course as brother Jim ran just behind Craig Forys old record of 15:15 with a time of 15:16.


The magic continued at the Manhattan Invitational when Joe took down Solomon Haile's course record with a time of 12:03.77.  Jim was 2nd in 12:08.71. 


And at the NJ Meet of Champions, cross country history was upended, erased, and rewritten, leaving XC historians, gurus, coaches, athletes, and casual observers stunned.  Joe and Jim cemented themselves as the greatest prep harriers in New Jersey history with their 1-2 finish. 


Joe Rosa ran 14:56 on a course that no one has any business running sub-15 on, and the scary part is that he is only a junior.  Perhaps scarier is that Joe was confident that he could do it.  Jim finished with the #2 all-time performance with a time of 15:15. 


This past weekend Joe and Jim finished 1-2 at the Nike Northeast Regional Meet.  They were clear of the field and Jim cruised in without racing Joe to the line.  This speaks to the respect the brothers have for each other.  As Coach Gould puts it, "They are competitive with respect and do what is best for the team".

Finishing 1-2 was definitely what was best for the team, but unfortunately the Rosa's will be flying to Portland as individuals.  West Windsor finished 4th in the team standings, but the team will be rooting for yet another 1-2 finish for their team leaders. (Photo by Pat Montferrat)
 

In talking with the Rosa's you could almost forget how talented they are as individuals.  They keep telling you about their team.

 

A perfect example is WWPN 3rd man Jonathan Squeri.  Jonathan is a fierce competitor who mans up in workouts to keep pace with the Rosa's.  No small feat, as he once ran a 16 mile run with the twins that closed in a 5:18 mile. 

 

Jonathan's efforts during the season were recognized by the twins, who eased up in the final strides of their Mercer County Championship meet, giving Jonathan the opportunity to earn an individual championship. 

 

A selfless gesture by two remarkably mature young men, that Jonathan will most likely remember for the rest of his life.
 

Joe said that he likes cross country because he has had more success [than on the track], but "I really like running at big relay track meets like NON, NIN, and the Penn Relays because the fans are great and it's always fun competing as a team". 
 

Jim continued where his brother left off, saying "I like cross country more because I love running hills and I like that in cross country you don't have to worry about splits or time.  All you worry about is giving the best effort that you can.  Cross country is the ultimate team sport, and it's cool to accomplish something with your close friends". 
 

It certainly is.  And that is what cross country is all about.