A tradition over four generations in the making, the Heath Freshman Run has been one of the hallmarks of induction into the CBA student community.

Named after CBA’s long-time Cross Country and distance running coach, Tom Heath, the Heath Freshman Run is a 1.3-mile race around the 157-acre campus that every freshman undertakes during his first full week of school. The run was originally intended as a recruiting tool for the Cross Country team, and to this day, the top 30 finishers are pulled aside for medals and an invitation to Cross Country tryouts.

However, over the years, the run has slowly morphed into an annual staple of Academy life. It’s one of the traditions that bind current students and alumni together through the years. And it serves as a perfect metaphor for the forthcoming journey through the Academy. It will be challenging. It may at times be overwhelming. It will require a great amount of effort. But at the end of the day, it will be the student who sets the pace and it will be a race run amongst brothers.

This year’s freshmen class was led by these top-3 performances:

1. Chase Cauvin 6:57

2. Sean Elliot 7:11

3. Ben Santos 7:37

The Heath Freshman Run serves as a main event during a Freshman Welcome Day, in which the entire class takes part in team-building games and contests in an effort to build the camaraderie that will last throughout the next four years and beyond.

Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) is a private, Catholic, academic preparatory school for boys located in Lincroft, New Jersey. Over $1.3 million in scholarships and financial aid is awarded annually to current students. Experience the Academy at www.CBALincroftNJ.org.