Personal Narrative: My Best Opportunity At State Track

In a much greater scheme, I have taken the lessons learned from track and field into my volunteer experiences. Through the organization Recreation Experiences, I worked with a team of volunteers to dig holes that would help install new septic systems to numerous families. I’ve been able to help service families in need of new septic systems who cannot afford to pay for the job to be done. Doing my part on a team was as important there as it has been on the track. I can absolutely trace my success back to humble beginnings in track and

I found my love for athletic activity at a young age. When I was 7 years old, I was enrolled in a YMCA summer program in Michigan. That is where it all started. My summer days were filled with various sport activities. Unfortunately, when I moved to California at the age of 10, I stopped playing sports for at least a year. However, during the rest of elementary school, throughout middle school, and in high school, I played different sports to figure out which one I liked best, which is now, Track & Field.

Since the 7th grade, I have and continue to push and strive to become the most elite athlete I can be. In middle school, I ran the 100m, 200m, and 400m relay, and the main objective of middle school track for me was to not only place, but to also gain experience before entering high school track. As my high school track career began, track and field was not as much fun and games as it was preparing for future track events. One of the most challenging moments as a freshman was being able to transition from the 100m to the 400m. When most high school athletes think of the 400m, they feel it's one of the most gruesome races to run, and it is. Although I had zero experience running the 400m, I was more concerned doing what was beneficial for

It all started in August on my first day of 6th grade where I came out for the cross country season not knowing what I was about to get myself into. My dad said I had to either get a job or do sports in school, so I chose to do a sport because what 13 year old would want to get a job anyway? Soon after the first week of practice was over, I was running as the number two runner. Staying as the number one and two runner as the rest of my middle school years, almost breaking the school record and being named “top dog” I

I remember the first year i did track, i was a freshman unaware of how this sport would change my life for the better. When I was born I was diagnosed with asthma, a respiratory condition that causes difficulty in breathing. I figured i would try track and see just how it affected my respiratory system. Practice was a constant battle for me, breathing twice as hard as everyone else. Giving it my all as i could feel my chest getting tighter

I honestly didn’t like to run until I joined Track and Field. I like track and field. At first i wasn’t going to do track and field until by sibling made me join . I like practice since our group ( long distance) would always be messing around with each and our coach would motivate us to try our hardest. When we would have meets, I would get really nervous before the race. During the race I would like the wind going through my hair and hearing the people cheering. Seeing the finish line would make me sprint the last 100 m and it would make me smile because I was done. I have learned the importance of working together and learn to not give up

Lolo Jones was the first woman ever to claim back-to-back World Indoor titles in the 60 meter hurdles while setting an American record in the process. She has also been to countless number of World Championships along with running in two Olympics. She says, “If there is no struggle, there is no process.” It is fair to say I am nowhere close to the level Lolo is at, but I can definitely relate to her in track, especially last track season, which was a memorable one for me.

Track was my last sport that school year, and my goal was to become faster. I did my best

It was the beginning of the track season a few days before our first track meet. My friends and I were running around the track and my leg gets tense. Not terribly unusual I've had charley horses before, but then there's a pop and my leg gives. I stop running and my friends help me up and to the athletic trainers. They tell me I have sprained my hamstring. This was heartbreaking for me as this was the year I was going to run with my friends in the sprints and high jump as I was unable to last year due to a similar thing happening but with my feet. I was not going to accept this defeat and choose to show up every day to practice and to the trainers for rehabilitation. At meets, I would work around the track at either the high jump pit or the long jump pit. I would give my teammates words of encouragement as often as I could. I held the

Since I was young I liked playing multiple, I didn’t run track until my seventh grade year. All I did was run the relays because my school coaches didn’t know much about being a coach. The summer of eighth grade going to freshmen year I started going with a professional outside of school. There is where they discovered my ability of being a sprinter, as a freshman I made the varsity girls track and field team. I did not do how I expected but I kept

It is just another school day here in Sutherland, Nebraska. As I am sitting in class my teacher comes up to me and hands me a letter. One is to Hastings and one is to Midland. As I open both of the letters they both want me to come visit and talk to the track coaches. Both of these schools are interested in my jumping ability. They ask me to write down my best attempts in my events so I write down my personal bests for long jump, high jump, and triple jump. I have to choose one college no matter what, but what do I wish to pursue?

I’ve never been on any sports and track is my first.When I was in middle school I always wanted to participate in some type of sport. I always wanted to do soccer, but never had the courage to try out and track seemed fun, but I really didn’t feel like staying after school every day, so instead I did band. Band was very fun and I’m still in it, but that’s another story.

The sport of track and field has brought forward more change than anything else in my life, because it brought me to the University of Central

Track has become an integral part of my life. It has shaped my way of thinking and how I live. Through track, I've learned the importance of holding myself accountable for making healthy decisions by setting personal fitness goals, practicing self-discipline and perseverance by competing against myself mentally. Yet, I've also realized how critical community is to my success because training with and supporting my teammates is key. Track has made me stronger on many levels, which is why I will continue to pursue it after high school.

I began running track and field in the seventh grade for my school. The coach had asked me to join and I obliged, truly having nothing better to do. Within two weeks of try-outs, I had my first track meet. At the time I was only doing high-jump, but it was at this meet that I won my first event and would subsequently fall in love with track. Sprinting down the track, jumping over the high-jump bar and landing in the sand pit were exhilarating and most of all fun. The pleasure track gave me made me return the next year to become the middle school team captain. Once high school started, however, my involvement became more serious and the fun aspect started to fade. Months before the season commences, I begin training for two to three hours, six