POULSBO — North Kitsap High School cross country coach Lee Hodin isn’t aiming to teach a sport in which athletes can merely enjoy themselves for the season and then let go of once it concludes … he wants his athletes to live it as well.

“The overall goal is just to develop a love of running,” the third-year coach said. “The middle goal is to begin getting them into the lifestyle of a runner, making (running) part of the daily routine, so that it becomes a part of who they are.”

Hodin and the NKHS cross country coaching staff have had a hand in what its athletes are becoming as the running program takes on more and more prestige at the school. Last year marked a milestone for the team as both its boys and girls squads earned berth in the state championship races.

And though none brought home hardware, the experience was just as valuable for North’s underclassmen as a trophy would have been for its seniors.

“It took a state trip to make some guys realize that if they work hard then they are going to move up,” said senior Cody Bradwell. “We should have a good handful of (underclassmen) guys coming up.”

A sizable batch of returners should be right instep to start the season as North graduated only six boys and four girls following the 2005-06 season. And while Will Cameron and Greta Stickney — two of the driving forces behind last year’s squad — will be moving on, plenty of Vikings are at the starting line poised for the gun, Hodin said.

The experience of last year’s run to Pasco should mix nicely with this summer’s strength training, Hodin said, noting the routine workouts and specialized camps which the Vikings have been attending.

“In the summertime, I’m looking for a base,” he said. “I want them to come into the season ready, so I can get them in the best shape of their life … if they come in without anything, I can’t run them.”

With that thought in mind, the bulk of NK runners have rallied for workouts, hitting the streets of Poulsbo three times a week over the course of the summer.

In addition to physical preparation, the mental aspects of the sport have consistently been stressed, Hodin said.

Recently, a group of 20 Vikings traveled to the middle of the state to push themselves through the mountains of the White Pass ski resort as part of the White Pass cross country camp. Though the mountains were available the camp didn’t force runners into all-day treks.

“At this camp they have about four to six hours worth of lecture where you just learn about the sport,” Hodin said, noting subject matters such as racing tactics, nutrition and the history of the sport. “That makes them a more complete athlete … they become a student of the sport and they certainly respect the sport even more.”

Striving to cover all three prongs of a successful summer training program, Hodin also led a running retreat in the hills of Spokane for some of the top varsity runners. With brutal excursions during morning workouts, the team spent the rest of the days relaxing in each others’ company, further solidifying team unity.

“Team unity is everything for us, when the season ends we still call up each other to hang out and stuff,” Bradwell said. “We all come together and support each other well.”

That support was a driving factor of the team’s success last season and, undoubtedly, teamwork will play a key role in this individual sport if NK is to repeat or succeed its previous achievements.

“With the realignment it’s gonna be tough,” Hodin said. “It will be a challenge, and I think they are up for (it) … they are humble yet hungry.”