Karen Ware bleeds purple.

The new Tooele High School cross-country coach graduated from the school in 1998 and has been a volunteer coach for the track and cross-country program for several years. Now, Ware has been tapped to head up the long-distance running program something that she says is very exciting, even if she only ran track in high school.

However, Ware does have a few bumps on the road she needs to run over. With the opening of Stansbury High School this fall, Ware says the numbers for the program — which spiked near 80 during conditioning practices last summer — has dwindled to 10-15 runners.

“Kids went for almost two months with no coach and I’m worried some of them won’t know we have practices going on,” Ware said. “Once school gets started or the word out we’ll be able to increase our numbers.”

Those dwindling numbers aren’t necessarily reflective of how the season will start in August. THS holds morning practices every week day at 7 a.m. and because some students have other commitments, they are unable to practice with the team. Likewise, SHS has night practices at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday where some of the Tooele runners have been able to practice.

“The summer is so hard because of camps and conferences and family vacations,” Ware said.

She added that because of the differing practice schedules, and those of the runners’, during each practice, she has to ask the students which school they are attending.

“We ask every day when kids come to practice if they’re going to Tooele or Stansbury,” Ware said. “It’s very confusing.”

Ware is taking over after eight-year coach Randy Quarez decided to make the move to SHS. With assistant coach Lisa Johnson helping out, Ware hopes to continue the cross-country tradition at THS.

“Quarez did a good job of making it exciting, not just about running,” Ware said. “Building friendships with schools and other kids and finding the strength in yourself [to run] that other people find hard, is a goal.”

Another goal, getting the teams numbers back up.

“Once we get going and kids know we exist, and that it’s fun, we can get numbers back up,” Ware said adding that she’s not expecting the 80 runners who came out last summer.

Ware is planning a parent meeting although no date has officially been set. (Check the Sports Wrap column to see when this meeting will be held.) The THS cross-country team will also be selling pizza at the Tooele County Fair beginning July 30 the funds from which will help support the team.

The team’s first meet is the Tooele Invitational on Aug. 29.

Missy Thompson: missy@tooeletranscript.com