Landen Chapman was there at the beginning of the Paris cross country program and signaled a new beginning on Nov. 14.

The senior signed to run cross country and track at Columbia College during a ceremony in the Paris High School gym. Chapman just earned his third career medal at state cross country and has six career track and field state medals — including state championships in the 800 and 1600 last season — going into his senior track season. 

Chapman said he liked the size and proximity of the school and the head coach Brennan Cape and will study sports management to hopefully be an athletic director someday. He said Cape scouted Chapman at his meets and had talked to him since last cross country season but seeing the school up close sealed the deal.

“Visiting the college definitely helped me decide pretty quickly that I wanted to go,” Chapman said.

Chapman said his times improved from last year, setting new school records earlier this year when he won three individual medals at state track and establishing a new school record at state cross country earlier this month when he finished third. Early in the cross country season, he said Columbia College saw enough and made him an offer.

Cross country head coach Doug Buie said he “knew the day was coming” when he would see Chapman sign his national letter of intent to run at the next level. He said Chapman has worked since youth cross country to become the school’s most decorated runner. Buie said he has progressed from missing a medal as a freshman at state cross country and track to breaking school records and winning state championships.

“The progression has been an amazing thing to see,” Buie said. “He continues to try to improve himself with summer work and not just laying around. He goes out running meets all summer. You knew, with that work ethic, that great things were going to happen.”

There are plenty of personal accomplishments to Chapman’s name, but what he has done for Paris stands out to him. Paris didn’t have a cross country program until four years ago when Chapman entered as a freshman. 

“For cross country, it’s looking back and seeing how much it has grown,” Chapman said. “My freshman year, it was just me, two boys and three girls. Now, we have 11 boys and eight girls, and it just keeps growing year after year. That’s really exciting.”

Chapman recalled something Buie said before his senior cross country season. The message was for the seniors to leave the program in a better state than they found it. He believes he did that while making good memories.

“Definitely getting first in the mile and 800 at state track,” Chapman said when asked about his favorite memories at Paris. “My team that went — we took a lot of alternates to go with us — celebrating after that with them was also fun.”

Buie said the word invaluable isn’t sufficient when explaining Chapman’s value to Paris. He has noticed the effect Chapman has had on freshmen like Case Morgan, who ran at state cross country along with the rest of the boys team that qualified. 

“He has given back to the younger guys,” Buie said. “We have a freshman he has run with, and you could tell he’s going to help progress him. He doesn’t make it all about himself, and he makes guys around him better.”

Even with a selfless attitude, Chapman expects a lot from himself so he plans to hit the ground running at Columbia College. 

“The goal is to become the (American Midwest Conference) freshman of the year,” Chapman said. “I want to help the team out as much as possible.”