Some people say senior Robert Picha has a big head. Actually, he has seven. Picha, a cross country runner, is in charge of making the giant heads that the varsity cross country team takes to the State competition every year.

Picha has been making the giants heads since sophomore year, when Peter Stavropoulos, 2012 alumni, passed on the tradition, Picha said. Picha plans to pass on the tradition of making the heads to Logan Ejupi, junior, who he has trained to take over for next year. The process has many steps, which is why the ‘giant head makers’ have to train somebody new to take over for them, Picha said.

“We start with a photo and put them into a website that makes them four by four size. Then we print them out, laminate all 112 sheets (16 per head), cut out all the white space, and  lay all the pieces out like a puzzle, which is kind of fun,” Picha explained. “We tape them together, go to Home Depot and buy insulating foam, which we use for the backboard, and then we use adhesive to stick the materials together.”

The whole process of making the heads takes about three days and fifteen hours, but is worth it in the end, Picha said.

“At the State meet we walk around with the heads, and there’s this school, York, that’s always there and they bring their marching band,” Picha said.  “We have the heads, and it’s like everyone know that the heads are a Lake Zurich tradition.”

Picha, who has run cross country since eighth grade, was injured over the summer with shin problems and missed over a month and a half of practice, he said.

“If I hadn’t been injured I most likely would have been a contender for the seventh spot on varsity. It’s strange being on the sideline when all summer I trained with these guys,” Picha said. “It’s still nice seeing the team from an outside view though and seeing all the hard work all season pay off. It’s something I took for granted before, but I wouldn’t have it any other ways, seeing my guys succeed. The heads are a good way to contribute to the team if I can’t run.”