Personal Narrative: My High School Cross-Country Team

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.

I’ve always had a desire for running and when I heard Richland Center High had a Cross Country team, I knew I wanted to be on it! When I did start, it was tough. There were times my sanity would ask, “ WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU

As a track runner, it is a necessity to be relaxed yet focused and determined. When I participate in track meets or even at practices, I receive a comforting warmth just by stepping onto the track. I feel as though burdens and worries temporarily lift from my shoulders. One may wonder how this can make someone content with their surroundings instead of nervous and uneasy based upon their environment and luckily for me this is an uncomplicated notion to explain. Unlike particular people, the track calms me and gives me a place to clear my head. I work relentlessly to achieve my goals, nevertheless it also gives me the clearance and space I need to effectively work my hardest whether it be a physical goal I am working to achieve

Cross country is a sport for the dreamers. This fact becomes abundantly clear once setting foot out on the course. The atmosphere created by this determination and drive is palpable. A defining difference that separates cross country from other team sports is the lack of ill will towards other teams, rivalries are present but they provide for a greater sense of competition between schools. When looking up sportsmanship in the dictionary it says “refer to cross country”. What creates such a friendly environment that many other sports seem to lack? It all goes back to the shared goal, to finish.

A setback I have recently faced was not making the varsity cheerleading team my senior year. I know it may not seem that big of a deal to some, but it was to me. I have been cheering since my 8th grade year, and to not make it my senior year was disappointing. When I realized I didn't make it, I felt many different emotions: confusion, denial, sadness, and anger. I stayed angry for a while, like my senior year was already starting off bad, and this was supposed to be my best year. An even though I knew I had other talents and could go on do so much more, it didn't feel right. I've gotten so accustom to going to practice and cheering at the games and seeing my close friends. It’s a different type of bond you have with other cheerleaders, especially

Imagine yourself, about to join your first season as a student-athlete of an elite, collegiate Cross Country team. It could be scary at first, but if you think about it, that is the next level to improving your physical and mental body. It’s also because it’s your first time joining an actual elite team that includes individuals, similar to you that have the same driven desire to win and go to finals like you. For instance, I was able to feel the same feeling when I joined DeAnza’s Cross Country team a year ago. It was hard to decide whether I should join the Cross Country or not since I'm in college now.

I have recently become very passionate about the sport of running. In the past every sport I’ve tried, I’ve never been the best at. I've played almost every sport imaginable, from dancing, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, competitive cheerleading, horseback riding, lacrosse, swimming, and now to running cross country and track. I've always just been the one on the team who did nothing and was in all honesty just there to observe. Don't get me wrong I've always tried as hard as I could, but never succeeded. My junior year of high school one of my friends came to me and asked if I would join the cross country team. I looked at her as if she were actually going insane. At the time I could barely run a half mile, and probably would have cried at the idea of running five

It was the first dual meet of the 2016 cross country season and our team seemed to have limitless potential. Despite only having 3 returning varsity runners We had a returning all-state runner in Dan Perales. One of the best sophomores in the state in Gianni Fanelli. A freshmen that had beaten many of Gianni’s records when he was in 8th grade, in Mike Parzych. A senior swimmer, in just his first year of cross country in Steven Miano. A track star that was the best two-miler on the track team last year in Alex Curtin. And me, a returning varsity runner that caught fire at the end of last season and primed for a breakout season.

It was a cool autumn afternoon and the Northside track team was getting ready to start practice. It was the first practice of the season. Coach came out of the gym and recommended that everyone needs to stretch before every practice. Everyone started to stretch except for the team captain which wasn’t there at the time. Arriving late the rest of the team was already done stretching so he didn’t get to stretch.

Many people dread Mondays, but I always looked forward to Mondays spent at TOPSoccer. This student-run, community-based program enables children with disabilities to learn the sport in a supportive environment. This is where I met Evan, an 11-year-old with cerebral palsy. Evan was limited in his mobility and had speech difficulties, which made communication trying at times, so forging a relationship with him was challenging; understandably, he wasn't the most willing participant. Over the next four years together, I continually sought new ways to engage Evan, whether pushing his wheelchair around the field house or playing catch. With my encouragement, Evan's attitude began to change. By my senior year, Evan's grinning face and clapping hands

The question was: how? I attended orientation and it was one of the best weekends at UNG. I fell in with the love and passion the orientation leaders had and from that moment I knew that I have to become an orientation leader. I want to share the amazing experience that orientation offers upcoming freshman. In addition, I am a commuter and want to help upcoming freshman know that they have access to resources that UNG offers even if they are commuters. I want to make them feel welcome and part of this amazing community that I have fallen in love

When any of my sisters has a problem with homework or a male at school, I make sure to give them the best advice.MY brother, even at 7 years old, still comes up to me to ask for help with his LEGOs or pouring a glass of milk. I never used to be as helpful, but with age comes responsibility. When my older sisters visit from college, they now come to me for guidance with their dilemmas in life. Being a leader in my home has led me to be a leader in my school as well. I was voted captain of the track team, but not through ballots or surveys. My track team choose me, because every individual feels they can ask me anything and I will assist them. To this day, I still try to have the best influence on my family and my team. As a leader in my community

I turned the corner, and there I saw it: the finish line. Flanked on both sides with rows of spectators cheering and screaming, it waited before me. Thank God this race was over. I have never run so hard in my life! Yet I knew in the back of my mind that this was one of my worst races I had ever run. This was the race we had all been training for. This was what we’ve been looking forward to for the past year, and we blew it.

If you stay after school on Mondays and Wednesday you might see the Cross-country team running lap after lap around the entire yard. In Cross-country you are suppose to run at least a mile on a long track with many obstacles that you will never encounter in football or track. On Tuesday September, 29 the first cross-country meet of this season was held at Kenneth Hahn Park, The owls amazed with a startling First place for the D2 boys and second for D3 boys. Also a Hoot to Malik Castro-Devarow with fourth place for D1 division. Congrats to the WISH Owls Cross-country team and good luck with future

On top of the embarrassment I felt for not being able to keep up with the pack, while running, all I could think about was how I needed to be spending my time catching up on homework or focusing on other activities that I was more passionate about. With my head hung low, I approached my parents and told them I would not be running track in the regular season. This was the first time I had ever not finished something I started, and it felt like a stab to the heart. To my surprise, my mom agreed that I should not continue and even told me that I never should have started something when I had such a busy schedule and only wanted to because of my friends. Right then and there, I realized that because my heart was not in the right place and because I let my friends influence my decision, I could never have succeeded at track. Not only did this one poor choice take time away from my responsibilities that I was actually invested in, but because I was constantly comparing my running abilities to other people, it ruined my potential appreciation for running in a fun, recreational