Let us give you an idea on how they spent their summer vacation. Start out with a run of 16 miles on Monday, eight in the morning and eight in the evening. The next three days are a breeze, with only eight miles to do in the morning, and ... oh, yeah, another eight after the dinner hour each day. (Those are usually run at Sunken Meadow Park and/or the high school track.) Then on Friday, it's back to eight and eight - same routine as Monday's. They really look forward to Saturday because it's only 12 miles to run that day. Basically, a snap. Sunday workouts separate the men from the boys with a 30-mile bike ride. All told, they run in excess of 90+ plus miles per week, enough to get them from Village Hall to New Haven, CT.

We're talking about the perseverance of the Farmingdale High School boys cross country squad. The 14 student-athletes who compose the "X-Men" are remarkable examples of training and tenacity at work. Coach Ed Papo instills inspiration to this team and gives them the desire to be competitive. "The team works very hard in attaining weekly goals," Coach Papo noted, "in order to achieve their ultimate goal for the season." That one goal would be winning the Nassau County championship. Last year, the team was undefeated at 12-0 and won both the Suffolk and Nassau Coach's Invitationals along with the Bob Pratt Invitational. The team captured division and conference titles and completed the 2002 season as the county runner-up.

Senior Roy Seter returns as captain and the #1 runner in the county. He was selected all county in 2002. Captain's Mike O'Hara (senior/all county 2002), Jeff Dietel (junior/all conference 2002) and Mike Landi (junior/all conference 2002) provide veteran leadership for the team. Senior John Diaz, juniors William Charpied, Spencer Denauski, Thomas Laserna, John Mulligan, Nicholas Principato, Shane Weber and Caleb Zwikelmaier (all division 2002) along with freshmen Michael Curry and Daniel Schreiner are poised to make huge contributions this year.

Needless to say, the team puts in its share of miles. And most of them are "quality miles," as Coach Papo likes to say. Early in the season, they run aerobic workouts that are slower than race pace. As the season progresses, they begin anaerobic workouts, which are faster than race pace - all in preparation for the championship meets. "If we stay healthy and injury-free," Coach Papo said, "this team has a great chance." And, if you're one of the Daler X-Men, that's all you need.

Nassau Coaches Invitational Sunday, Oct. 18 Bethpage State Park

Conference I Championship Saturday, Oct. 25 Bethpage State Park

Nassau County Championship Saturday, Nov. 1 Bethpage State Park

(To learn more about the Farmingdale High School Varsity Boys & Girls Cross-Country Programs, contact the Physical Education Department, the varsity coaches or The Friends of Farmingdale Athletics - GoDalersFFA@optonline.net)

Note: The FFA would like to thank Shane Weber for the information he contributed for this article.

He has the intensity to see it through. With a little convincing from the coach after freshman year of winter track, Mike has run cross-country for the past three years. As a student-athlete, Mike excels in math and social studies and enjoys the subjects. The Varsity Leader's Club and DECA benefit from Mike's involvement and during the holiday season, he rings the bell for the Salvation Army. He also volunteers as a referee for Farmingdale soccer. Mike will be making plans to attend college next fall. He has a special outlook towards the grueling sport of cross-country running. "I bring a hardworking attitude, leadership and a goal of a county championship," he said. Mike has worked overtime to perfect his running game. "I've been developing my kick at the end of the race," he commented "and quickening my turnover to improve my overall performance." Mike finishes first as a long-distance Daler. Roy stands out on this year's team as the quintessential blue-collar runner. Through quiet example and determined work ethic during his six years of competition, he knows what it takes to prepare mentally and physically for the sport. On the academic side, Roy enjoys band and economics. He has lettered in swimming along with winter and spring track. He belongs to the jazz band and the Farmingdale High School marching band and finds time to work with DECA, the French Club and the Interact Club. He is a member of the Massapequa Republican Club. On the subject of community service, Roy joins in for the senior citizen's prom and the student government. He plans to attend college when he graduates with the Class of 2004. He brings a great deal of leadership. "As a senior this year, I have seen this team develop into what we are today," Roy stated. "Today, this team returns as the number one returning team in our competitive county," he mentioned. "I have always been proud of being on this team," declared Roy, "and I am certain we will bring home our first county championship." That outlook comes from more than a few miles of Daler discipline. Billy has been a spark for the Varsity Boys Cross Country team as the 2003 season unfolds. It is his first with the squad. "I switched over from golf," he said. "I feel I might be able to give more to this soon-to-be county champ's team." Academics are a big part of the program. English is excellent. "Mr. Schwinn helped me to really enjoy reading," Billy commented. Math is magnificent. "I'm naturally good at it," he quipped. He sports a GPA in the mid-90s and also letters in indoor and outdoor track; belongs to the Key Club, the National Honor Society and the Math League. He volunteers his time at "The Place" and also worked with the US Open. He envisions the next level of education at Boston College where he'd "major in business with hopes of becoming a stockbroker." Billy has refined his strategies for running. "This summer's training has helped me sustain the 5K race pace." He brings a great deal to the table. "So far," he said. "this season has been nothing but hardworking, highly devoted, well-balanced training. Coach Papo provides the motivation. We are bound to succeed." There's a Daler who is focused on the job at hand. Jeff enters into his fourth year of running cross-country for the Dalers. He has been a major part of the team's run to glory. In the classroom, Jeff takes to the challenges of the history and engineering courses he studies. He is involved in the Varsity Leader's Club and has the prestige of being the sole member of the Daler fencing team. He expects to attend college post graduation and has several universities lined up for consideration. Jeff has a terrific outlook on the sport and always "brings a hard-working attitude" to the cross-country venue. When the going gets tough, well, you know the rest. Jeff sums it up in a word, "Endurance." The workouts and training all come together at some point. With Jeff, it's evident as he has earned All Conference honors last season. It becomes obvious, Jeff is a Daler of great distinction. When Mike began his freshman year at Farmingdale High School, he decided to "just start running." And he's been doing it ever since and keeps pace with the best of them. Scholastically, he favors history and math. "I do well in them," he spoke. He intends to go to college and continue the running game at the next level. To stay in shape, Mike has also lettered in spring track. He enjoys going out with friends and working on his hand-to-eye coordination playing video games. He is proud of bringing a hard-working attitude and some leadership to the team. Mike always sees the benefit of enhancing his running skills. "I have tried to improve on the middle of my races," he stated, "by working to keep up the fast pace as the race progresses." This is Daler enthusiasm at its best. Shane adds a dynamic dimension to the varsity cross-country team this year. His dedication is rather evident. "I've been running competitively since the seventh grade," he mentioned. And, he gives credit where it's due. "My parents have always supported me in the sport," Shane commented. He enjoys all aspects of his studies and plans to attend college. With the drive and determination he exhibits, there will be plenty of choices when the time comes. He has also earned letters in lacrosse and wrestling, where he has been a four year varsity participant with two-time honors as all conference. Shane takes a very unique perspective to his running game. "I try to bring a positive and exciting attitude to practice every day," he said. He works on every aspect of the skill and mentality it takes to run competitively. "I need to continue to improve on my overall endurance," Shane stated. He has set his sights on the team's objectives. "My goals for this season are to win the county championship and become an all county runner." Any way you look at it, Shane is in the all-Daler category in anybody's book. Caleb has recently joined the ranks of the Daler cross-country team, having participated for the past two seasons. He takes his studies seriously. "I enjoy science," he said. "It is the field I hope to get involved in." History class ranks in the top two. "I like to learn about the past," Caleb noted. He letters in winter and spring track. Caleb keeps a busy schedule with the FHS marching band and is a member of the Tri-M Honor Society. He enjoys reading in his spare time and works with the Boy Scouts, too. "I have participated in four Eagle Scout projects," he stated. Caleb's plans for the future call for him to move on "to enter medical school and become a doctor." The team comes first for Caleb. "I try to bring a positive attitude and add a smile to our team," he said. "I always try to work my hardest and become a better role model to our younger teammates." When it comes to Caleb, there's a bit of Daler tradition to be proud of.