Closing out the 2022 track season, the team reflects on a season of success. Thanks to an uplifting team environment and a unified drive for personal progress, the team has pushed past the season’s expectations.
Captains Cannon Thompson, Joshua Potter, Maya Yim and Hailey Wright join together to support the team environment and create a tightly knit team. The captains have noted the opportunity to lead has also provided them with the opportunity to grow.
“Being captain this year, it has helped me grow as a leader. I had been praying for opportunities for leadership, and when I was put as a captain it gave me the chance to do that,” said Yim. “It has taught me to do hard things even when I don't feel like it. I have learned hard work and the ability to push myself against adversity.”
The cultivated environment pushes athletes to defeat their personal fears and challenge the boundaries of their limits. Juniors Celia Stewart and Maya Yim have noted the many positive aspects of this team.
“Being on the team has been such a fun environment,” said Stewart. “It’s like we are all one big family, which sounds really cliché but it’s true. We all talk to each other and everyone gets to hang out together which is super fun.”
Maya Yim notes that an encouraging team also paves the way for strong bonds and trust to be built.
“I feel like it's a safe environment. I'm not worried about conflict on the team because we all struggle together and have the same goal in mind,” said Yim. “We have unity through being comfortable with each other and being able to laugh together.”
In addition to a positive environment, the team credits success to the tangible, individual victories on the team. From this season alone, the team has broken 16 school records, nine from the girls team and seven from the boys.
“I think the key to our success has been multiple things,” said Stewart. “Firstly, the team has gotten bigger and bigger every year, so now we're able to compete and excel in a lot more events, which has been really awesome. Secondly, the coaches have done a good job at getting us ready for our particular events instead of just having us all running the same thing, and I think that has helped a lot.”
The talent on the team is clearly seen and nurtured to its peak by intentional coaching. Stewart has experienced firsthand the effectiveness of the coaching by Coach Bert Thompson.
“I have experienced a lot of growth this season in my running and personally,” said Stewart. “In the running aspect, I have gotten much faster than last year, and I really thank coach Thompson for that because he has really pushed me this year to always try and run my best, even when I really don’t feel like it.”
The team reflects on the season with multiple meet wins, countless personal victories and an uplifting team culture.
“I feel like we have a team with a lot of talent already,” said Yim. “Building off of that, they have also worked really hard to get better.”