Hannah Black '18 Recruiting Profile

I've been running competitively since the 5th grade.  Up to that point, my main extracurricular activities included ballet, horse riding, and ice skating.  At my very first cross country league meet in the 5th grade, I finished 9th overall out of a field of over 100 middle schoolers, contributing to my school's 2nd place overall league placement.  That's when I began to realize that I might have some talent in track.

I entered a new school in Grade 6 that includes grades 6 through 12.  I was able to qualify for the high school girls varsity cross country and outdoor track & field teams as a 6th grader - earning points for my team in every single league outing.  I earned 2 high school varsity letters in Grade 6, 7, 8, and 9 - earning 3 more varsity letters in grades 10 (my school just added indoor track as a sport that year).  My goal is that when I graduate I will have earned 17 total varsity letters.  Additionally, I have been captain of the girls' teams beginning as a junior.

While I have been a very competitive distance runner (5k, 2 mile, 1 mile), I found that my strongest events were actually the middle distances.  These races have tended to require both athletic ability as well as race strategy, which is what makes them more enjoyable for me.

My main strength for my team now is my versatility.  Depending on who we are competing against, my coaches have used me in a variety of events to contribute to our team's scoring - including the 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 600, 800, multiple relay teams, hurdles, high jumping (4'8"), and even shotput and javelin.  Outside of the league meets, I've also been able to take coaching sessions in pole vault and steeplechase.

Running and competing are an important part of my high school experience, giving me the chance to meet so many other athletes from many schools in the New England area, and make what I expect to be many lifelong friends.

I take a course load of challenging academic classes, including honors classes and applied research laboratories.  Aside from athletics and academics, I try to find some time to contribute to my community.  I've been a student government representative in Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, and in summers, I volunteer at a local food pantry, making and delivering lunches for local kids that could not otherwise afford lunch.

I believe that what makes me unique is my overall versatility, not just athletically, but in all of the aspects of my life.