Grayson County High School’s Gabriel Dennis has signed to run cross country at Alice Lloyd College.
Dennis established himself as one of the school’s top seven runners, which gave him the opportunity to run in both the region and state meets.
The opportunity to run at the next level has always been a goal for the senior, and when Alice Lloyd reached out earlier this year, he knew it was a great match.
“It was a small town and a small school, so I thought it was really a perfect place for me to be,” Dennis told K105.
The feeling of being at “home” was something echoed by his support system, but it was the culture being built by the coaching staff that stood out as well.
“(Gabriel) wanted a school that was going to take care of him,” his stepdad, Randy Johnson, said. “We talked to (the Alice Lloyd coaches), we went down there and visited with them. He came across what his mission was. He wants to build a team, he wants to take kids and allow them to develop into better athletes.”
Development is a common word used when discussing Dennis, and it is obvious that his hard work paid off.
“He’s come out of his shell some and been able to get along with everybody,” Grayson County head coach Anthony Miller added. “As far as a runner, he’s continued to work at it. Not being a tall runner, he has to take a few more steps, but especially this last year, his determination to crack the top seven, he put forth the work, and it paid off for him in the end.”
The signing, which was held Friday afternoon at the high school, was attended by a large group of family, coaches, teammates, and friends. It was clear that this group was a big key in Dennis’ development as not only a runner, but as a young man.
“It’s everything,” Dennis said about their influence. “I really love how much my family and friends get to cheer me on. I’m ready for them to cheer me on more.”
Alice Lloyd College is an NAIA school located in Pippa Passes, Kentucky.
By Sam Gormley, Play-By-Play Announcer/Local Sports
Reach Sam at sam@k105.com
