Rebecca Ochan '20 Recruiting Profile

Coming back from an ACL injury has opened my eyes to how you can achieve anything through dedication and persistence. It wasn’t until my 9th grade outdoor track season that I realized how much I Ioved track. In my first high school season, I managed to win 4 Group 1 State Championship titles and break 4 school records. I was the only runner in the state of New Jersey to have won 4 gold medals at States. My PRs were 56.5 in the 400, 25.05 in the 200, and 18 ft 11 in the long jump. I also anchored my 4x400 team. I accomplished all that while also participating in dance and my travel soccer team. The following year, I was eager for the track season to come around once more, but sadly got injured during one of my soccer games in the fall of my sophomore year. I was devastated when I learned that I had torn my ACL and that I needed major surgery. Those 10 months after my surgery were definitely difficult mentally and physically. I had to persist and tell myself to trust the process. I was cleared medically to start training and running in mid-September of my junior year. I started training 6-7 days a week. I worked with a private coach and went to the gym three days a week. I ran in the rain and snow. After 5 months, I won the Group 1 State Championship for indoor track. Through all my hard work and persistence, I learned three life lessons: do your exercise, it will hurt but it will make you better, and good things will come from all this hard work. Those lessons have transported themselves into my 2019 track season. I ran faster than I could my freshman year despite my injury. I am still working my best to improve my times. I am different because I came back from an ACL surgery and won an indoor state championship. I am different because I was ranked 4th in the state of NJ after coming back from an ACL injury. I am different because I work equally as hard in the classroom as I do on the track. I am different because I want to continue and thrive to be better at my craft.