KINGSTON — It could be another good season for Kingston High School cross country, that’s one of the reasons it was difficult for Karla Manuguid to resign as head coach.

“It should be an exciting season,” she said. “That’s why it will be hard.”

Manuguid resigned in July to spend more time with her family.

High school administration is in the process of interviewing for the position, according to Assistant Principal Mark Kluth.

Manuguid — formerly Laubach when she began coaching at the school — took over as head coach in 2010. She was an assistant coach for about one season prior.

Though she had a difficult time resigning, because she enjoyed coaching so much, Manuguid said she would put in at least two hours after school for cross country practice. There are many weekend meets and invites. The time dedication is just too much at the moment.

The cross country team looks to be building well for the fall, Manuguid said. She met with the team off and on through the summer. There were a “number of kids” training this summer, she said. Manuguid expects some of last year’s leaders to return to the team.

But the team still needs a coach.

The season begins Sept. 11 with the Olympic Jamboree. That is followed by the Sehome Invitational Sept. 13.

Manuguid may be out of the coaching game for now, but she plans to still make an appearance when she can. She will continue teaching eighth-grade science at Kingston Middle School.

Middle school teams accepting registration

Poulsbo and Kingston middle schools will be registering for the first cross country teams.

The sport is open to seventh and eighth grade students.

The first practice for both schools will be

Aug. 25. Poulsbo Middle School will practice 9-10:30 a.m. Kingston Middle School will practice at 2:30 p.m.

The introduction of the sport to the schools follows a merger between two middle-school sports leagues.

The West Sound Middle Schools League and Olympic Junior High League will become one. The league will include 13 schools.

The league will have small- and large-school divisions, north and south.

Though there will be divisions, teams in the league will have the opportunity to play teams throughout the league. For example, Klahowya may not want to play South Kitsap Junior High, but teams in the north end might want to play a larger school.

What teams play where also depends on which schools have the same sports. Kingston and Poulsbo middle school students will have eight sports to choose from in seventh- and eighth-grade.

The expanded league falls in line with the North Kitsap School District’s addition of middle-school cross country and JV football. The North Kitsap School Board approved the 2014-15 athletics and activities program offerings, which included the additional sports.

The middle school league will consist of: Klahowya, Poulsbo, Kingston, McMurray (Vashon), Mountain View (Bremerton), Hawkins (North Mason), Woodward (Bainbridge), two teams from Curtis (University Place), Cedar Heights (South Kitsap), Marcus Whitman (South Kitsap), Sedgwick (South Kitsap), Fairview (Central Kitsap), and Ridgetop (Central Kitsap).