Elijah Pagotto’s role at the PIAA Cross Country Championships was much more than that of a runner.

The Lehighton junior was a teammate - and for the first time - took in the experience in Hershey as a brother.

Pagotto savored his experience at states this past Saturday with teammate Brielle Frable, and sister Claudia Pagotto.

“It’s cool. It’s nice seeing Claudia make it to states, because I didn’t even make it to states my freshman year,” Elijah said. “Seeing her get here this year, I’m proud of her for that.”

It’s been a special season for the Tribe. Erica Pagotto is Claudia and Elijah’s mom and the team’s head coach, while their dad, Tony Pagotto, serves as assistant coach.

For the Pagotto family, running is in their roots.

“The kids ran races when I was pregnant with them,” said Erica. “I was coaching, I would push them in the running stroller at practice. They grew up surrounded by the team, coming to practices throughout the summer ever since they were toddlers, really. So it’s neat to see that they both chose to run cross country, to be part of the team.”

The passion both Elijah and Claudia have for running is obvious.

“It’s definitely a big help with my family,” said Elijah. “Cross country is as hard as you make it to be. If you want it to be easy, you can just go easy. But if you want to be good, you have to push hard. And my family helps me push hard, because I know there are days where I don’t feel like pushing, I just want to take it easy. I might not always feel like it at the moment, but after I finish my race, I realize this is why I do this, this is why I put the work in and push hard. It really helps me to appreciate it.”

In the spring, Elijah drew motivation from his mom during the track season.

“I remember the weekend we went to Boston for the Boston Marathon, the following day or two I had the two-mile in track, and that’s when I ran my fastest two-mile race,” said Elijah, who broke the school record in the event last season. “After seeing my mom run, it definitely inspired me to run faster.”

Erica has competed in the Boston Marathon three times, and will again be in the race in 2025.

“Well, they push me too,” said Erica. “There are times I’m racing and I am in pain. But I think, I want to show them that they can do this. I want to show the kids this is what you can do. And if it’s what I expect of them, I want to do it myself. It hurts, but when you’re done, you’re so proud of yourself. I keep that in my mind. So it goes back and forth; it’s mutual.

“Tony and I run with the kids ... we’re out there running, and if we can do it, they can do it. And it’s a lifelong sport. Do it now, and you can set goals as an adult with road racing and everything. Boston was on my bucket list when I was their age. When I was in high school, a teammate and I said we were going to run a marathon by this age, we wanted to get into Boston, so it’s neat just to watch them. Sometimes I’ll take my marathon medals and I’ll give them to athletes when they graduate to say, when you run your first marathon, give this back to me, I want to hear about it. Cera Gaston (Lehighton graduate and cross country and track and field athlete) just qualified for Boston a couple weeks ago and just texted me about it. So I’m still in contact with my athletes even after they graduate, encouraging them to reach their running goals.”

And it’s something that has helped Tony Pagotto both discover and appreciate the sport, and do so while sharing it with his family.

“I think it’s amazing,” said Tony. “For me, I didn’t start running until I was in my 30s when I met Erica, that’s when I got into it. She taught me how to run, and to enjoy it and have fun. Now, it’s therapy for me. When I have a rough day, get out there and go. And when the kids were born, we had the running stroller and we would be out on the rail trail with them and we would talk about how we were looking forward to these days when we would be able to just go out there on a family run together. Go for a run, and just talk with one another, enjoy each other and the time we get to spend together. We are able to go out on an easy run and just talk the whole time, and we’re sharing life. It is amazing. I feel so blessed to do what I am doing here with my kids, with the whole team, and to be able to share it as a family, it really is amazing. I feel so blessed.”

And it’s certainly not something they take for granted.

“It helps a lot having everybody be so supportive,” said Claudia. “It just inspires you to keep on pushing, and going after it. It’s just really been great to have everybody there to help you.”

That bond built through running extends beyond Elijah and Claudia for Erica and Tony.

“We call our athletes all of our kids,” beamed Erica. “Yes we have Elijah and Claudia, but the whole team is our family. I tell them all the time, too, that we would adopt every single one of them. We love them. It’s like one big, happy family. I really enjoy it.”

Frable echoed that sentiment.

“The Pagottos are a great family,” Frable said after she competed in her first state meet. “They’ve helped me so much through everything. I feel like I’m part of their family because I’ve been with them this whole weekend.”

Running is about more than time or place. The opportunity to share experiences as a family - and team - is something that has brought both the Pagottos and the program closer together.

“The whole team encourages each other. Even if I’m doing repeats with them, they cheer for me, and it’s just so neat. Or if I’m running on the road on the weekend and one of them passes me, they’ll roll down the window and encourage me,” laughed Erica. “We’re there for each other. And I meet up with some of the parents on the weekend and we run together. So it’s just a community.

“I just really enjoy the relationships, the team-building, and just getting to know each one of them. And I love to watch them crush their goals, and to see them hug their parents afterward and just being so happy. I have cried. It just brings tears to my eyes watching those moments, I’m just so proud of them.”