The 2014-2015 school year has provided some great highlights in both cross country and track across the Sunshine State. In the coming weeks many of our seniors will head out to start their college careers both athletically and academically. We wanted to salute them one more time in this special feature and say thank you for your support over the years.
What was your most memorable race/moment?
Cross country regionals my senior year, where we tied for the team title. The deciding factor was our sixth runner, Hadleigh, and with her placing we secured our first ever regional championship as a team.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
There have been innumerable talented runners I’ve raced against over the years. The Estero team always provided us with great competition in addition to being wonderful people to get to know.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
Gaining a confidence I never would have discovered without running. My first couple seasons I was always too nervous to take chances in races, but I became a much stronger runner and person through all the hard work and commitment.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
On one hand, I would say I wish I had run cross country as a freshman so I could have gotten an earlier start in the sport. However, I also think it benefited me to not get serious about running until the summer before my sophomore year because it allowed me to look back to freshman year and see how far I’ve come.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
Balancing schoolwork and training was always difficult because of how much time they both took up. It was always hard to see my school friends doing social activities that I had to miss because of practice or meets. But always remember that sacrificing what you want now for what you want the most is always worth it in the end.
What will you miss the most?
Definitely running in the scorching Florida heat. Just kidding. I’ll mostly miss all the incredible friendships I’ve made over the years.
What advice you would give to younger athletes?
Never give up. You might have a bad workout, or a bad race, or even a bad season. You might feel that you’ll never get better, or that you’ve hit a wall you’ll never get through. But you don’t get stronger from winning every race - you get stronger from knowing what it feels like to be beaten down and still refusing to give up.
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
I’m eternally thankful for the amazing guidance I’ve been given by my coaches. Coach Stevenson taught me how to stay dedicated and always keep improving to reach my full potential. Stevenson and Dr. King were both extremely influential in my running career in addition to helping me becoming a better overall person.
What are your college plans?
I’ll be running cross country and track for Fordham University in New York and studying biology.
Who would you like to say thank you to?
I’d like to thank my coaches and my teammates and of course all my family and friends as well. Also a special shoutout to my former teammate Courtland for always being my #1 role model.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Remember that guy who gave up? Neither does anybody else.
