I am very grateful for my cross country team, and they have been a huge blessing in my life. When I first came to Arcadia High School (AHS), I didn’t really know anyone, since I had come from another school in a different district. During my freshman year, I decided not to join any sports team, and couldn’t really find a community where I felt like I truly belonged. 

Near the end of freshman year, I began to run on my own every day, because I wanted to be a part of AHS’ Cross Country team. Once summer started, Coach Orozco, the head coach offered me a spot to train with them before the school year began. Everyone was super welcoming, especially . I already had a couple of friends who were runners on the team, and they both showed me the ropes to the sport. 

Despite that, the routine was difficult. Every morning, I had to wake up at 6 a.m., then have my parents drive me to school. I would have to be there by 6:30 a.m. I spend a little time doing my drills and warmups, and then begin a three or four mile run. I usually run around Arcadia County Park. I made another friend on the team, Junior River Wherley, who gave me a lot of advice about life, running, and my relationship with God. I didn’t even ask him to, but he has become one of my biggest supporters, growing into an older brother figure during my sophomore year. He is always there and has helped me navigate girls, friends, drama, and other things.  

Unfortunately, I am not a very fast runner, and am told I am in the bottom three in the entirety of our school’s history. But, even then, there’s a silver lining. Another sophomore, Cindy Moe, who came from our track and field team, joined the girls team around the same time I joined the boys team, and, since we are about the same speed, I have been able to relate to her and she has grown to be one of my closest friends this year, along with several people on the boys team.

Morning practices still continue with the school year, but I’ve gotten used to it by now. My races have been amazing experiences to bond with my teammates and friends, and I’m happy I got faster during my last race. Overall, I am really grateful for the friends I’ve made, the habits I’ve built, and the experiences I’ve been through on this team.