Damir Wiggins '26 Recruiting Profile

I've always had a passion for running, ever since I was young. During my time in elementary school, I used to race around the track during recess and was always the fastest runner at my school. Despite the encouragement from teachers and administrators to join the middle school track team, I couldn't see myself making it. However, during my 6th-grade year, I impressed the coach at track tryouts and was selected to join the team. I felt ecstatic, especially because many people had doubted my abilities. My dad was proud of me, and my mom was happy for me.

Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, I was unable to pursue my track dream. School went online, and the isolation caused me to feel depressed and develop self-doubt. Eventually, as COVID-19 cases decreased, I transferred to a new school and my family moved to a new house. Starting at the new school was nerve-wracking, and some students made fun of my haircut. Despite this, I focused on my favorite subjects, English and history. On my first day of 8th grade, I made a friend who lived in my neighborhood, and we became very close friends. During that time, I got my first phone and was super excited to download Snapchat for the first time, as well as other games. But what I was most excited about was joining the track team. I worked hard during that time, and in middle school, my grades were mostly “ok.” I wanted to fit in so badly, to the point that I would allow people to mistreat me, bully me, and talk about me. This caused a lot of self-hate and depression, which led me to seek counseling. During my 8th grade year, I was in and out of counseling, and it was a tough year, but I was focused on when track tryouts would be announced.

I was thrilled when the time for track tryouts arrived. I had my physical and everything, and I went to the gym to tell the coach, feeling happy and smiling. I introduced myself, they looked me up, and then I received the heartbreaking news that I did not qualify. It shattered me because running had always been my passion and the only thing I felt safe and welcome doing. I thanked them and walked away, feeling like something precious had been taken away from me. I couldn't do track in middle school, and when I told my parents, they were heartbroken, and I was too, because running was my only escape.

At the end of the 8th grade, I was relieved to leave that behind and was ready for high school. During the summer entering high school, I had a summer job, and at that time, I didn't know we had a cross country team. Throughout the first semester of high school, I didn't participate in any sports. When February came around, track season started, and I attended the first day of tryouts, feeling brand new to everything. I didn't know which events I wanted to do at that time, and after trying high jumps and hurdles, I felt like giving up. However, a boy named Ethan Hobbs, who was a sophomore, came up to me and introduced himself. He asked me if I would like to do long distances, and although I didn't know what long-distance running was, he introduced me to one of my top favorite coaches, Coach Tuttle. He was friendly and introduced me to everyone. I practiced and everything, and at the end of practice when my mom came to pick me up, Coach Tuttle came up to her and said, “Your son is amazing, and I want him to join our track team and our cross country team next year as well.” My mom agreed, and I was super excited. I continued to come to practice and show up, but I didn't know anyone, so it was hard for me to engage in conversations. When I did, it seemed like nobody liked me. Throughout my season of track, I was talked about, made fun of, and belittled from time to time, but I was still nice to them no matter what. I pushed myself and motivated others, even from the opposite team, to do better. The track season went by, and I enjoyed myself and was super ready for cross-country season.

During the cross-country season, I was proud of myself, and I even remember crying for not getting into the top 7. Throughout my 4 years of high school, I realized that many people didn't like me pushing to be better and become better, and they didn't like me taking their top 7 places during cross country. They would make rude comments about me and my friend, even when he left, they still talked poorly about him and continued to speak poorly about me to others at my school. Despite this, I kept pushing and being myself, helping others no matter what it cost me. My goal is to make everyone feel safe and welcome and to help others to the best of my ability.