Ask members of the Whitefish Middle School cross-country team to describe their experience running for the Bulldogs and the response ranges from “fun” to “exhilarating” to “scrumdiddlyumptious.”

No matter how they describe it, those participating in the club team seem anxious to head out running during their after school practices.

About 30 students participated in the program in its first year. An interest from a few students and their parents launched the team, which is run by a volunteer coaching staff and parents.

Eighth-grader Galen Jamison was one the students who helped organize the team.

“I saw a lack of running sports here,” he said. “I thought we were missing out and I wanted to start a team. Running is really a sport of all sports, and it’s just plain fun.”

Jamison said the best part about the cross-country team is that it brings together kids that have the same interest.

The team gathers together after school three times a week. During a recent practice, the team formed a circle on the front lawn of the school on East Second Street to stretch before taking a quick warm up run. Then the team split into two groups — athletes are allowed to choose between two different distances — and they begin to run along the streets of Whitefish.

Last week Aldo Kuntz was there to oversee the start of practice. Kuntz, who is the assistant coach for the high school cross-country teams, comes to most of the middle school practices prior to heading to the high school.

He praised the program for providing students another opportunity to participate in a sport. He said last spring about 10 students were identified as possibly participating, but the program’s popularity has gone beyond those estimates.

“This is a real positive,” he said. “It provides comrade for the students and being part of a team. They learn discipline to come to practice and work out.”

Coaches teach the athletes about properly working out and also about how to eat healthy. There are no tryouts and any skill level is encouraged to participate and improve.

“It’s great for the new kid who wants to get into a group,” he said. “There’s a chance to make friends with a student that’s not in their grade.”

Throughout the season the team will participate in about a half dozen cross country meets in the area competing against other middle school teams. Depending on the meet course, the athletes run 1 to 2 miles with boys and girls competing separately.

“This is a nice alternative to other sports,” Kuntz said. “This could become a nice feeder program for the high school.”