This year, the Summit high school ladies are one of the top 3 ranked teams in the nation. I, along with my sister, are captains of that squad. It hasn’t been easy. We have to know exactly what it is that makes our teammates tick; who needs more positive reinforcement? What’s going on in my teammate’s personal life? How can I make a difference and keep the girls happy and healthy?
Influencing this culture has been one of my top priorities for this season, and because of it I’ve raced faster. There is no doubt that the team’s PRs this season are due, in part, to the culture we’ve built. When I am hurting on a course, I am racing for something bigger than myself. I race with my team as one. My team is not made up of hand-picked, heavily-recruited, prodigies. My team is made up of excellent teammates.
You might wonder what this has to do with me as a runner; how does this ultimately make me a good candidate for your team? When I pack up, leave for college and pass off the captain position to the next athlete in line, I will pack the values I’ve learned, with me. I want to contribute to a team’s culture and in turn, make us faster. I want it be about “us”—not just “I”.
1500m goal: 4:26
3000m goal: 9:50
Event | 2018 Varsity Team |
---|---|
4x800M (Split) | 2:22 |
800M | 2:18.38 |