Personal Statement
To whom it may concern,
My name is Jack Sagan. I attend Riverside Brookfield High School in Riverside, Illinois. I started running when I was younger with my dad but it was just a fun thing to do in the morning a day or two before school. Despite this early enjoyment shown towards running, it was not my favorite sport. I had dreams of being a baseball player when I grew up. That lasted late into my freshman year of high school. I ran cross country (fall), basketball (winter) and I played baseball in the spring my freshman year. I enjoyed baseball but watching my cross country teammates continue running during track and I knew I had to make a decision. Either continue to play my three sports in high school and take that as far as it could go or make a tough decision to give up my favorite pastime. I decided on option number two and haven't looked back. I decided to give up basketball and baseball. My sophomore year after cross country season I continued running during the winter and built a strong base that I knew I needed since I had never run a high school track race before. The season started out slow, but quickly turned as I climbed up the ranks on my team. I ended the season with a 4th place finish in the 800m along with a 6th place finish in the 1600m at our sectional meet. Both were substantial pr's and I can't wait to see how I progress this summer leading into cross country season.
What sets me apart from other high school runners is my drive to get something out of every workout, every day. I crave for the end of each school day so that I can go to practice. I want to run at the college level for cross country and track and will continue to work towards my goals everyday.