OXB #TeamSports College Athlete Scholarship

Being part of a sport as grueling as cross country and track, there are times where it comes down to our teammates as the only reason we keep pushing. The lactic acid build-up, the cramps, the aches and sores, and the dreaded injuries give us every excuse in the book to just go home and curl up in bed. Obviously, I have an immense love for the sport, otherwise, I wouldn't have stuck with it for this long, but it's the bond that my teammates have together that not only creates a second family. In order to strengthen, we have tried numerous different approaches to keep this flame we have for this sport ignited. However, the most impactful team-building approach we have taken would have to be team lunches. Before every meet, championship or not, our teammates would spend our lunch period in our coach's room and just talk. We spend time talking about that trauma-inducing teacher, our grades, the latest drama, and our eventful lives. Whatever we decided to ramble on, we always make sure to talk about the two most important things: our goals and race plan. As a team that trains, races, and eats together, we hold each other accountable for our goals. This could be a team or individual goals, but regardless, achieving these goals is how we WIN. In order to win, we put a large emphasis on our race plans. Without a plan, we go through that race like a deer in headlights, we end up running the race not RACING it. Our strategies consist of pack running, surges at specific locations, mental checks, final kick points, all things that collectively improve our racing abilities. We are able to dream at our lunches and just lay it all out on the table (pun not intended). "What if we qualify for Nationals?"; "Imagine if you broke 20 minutes in the 5k", "Do you think you can finally beat that _____ (insert school name) girl?". We share our aspirations in a safe and motivating space that isn't valued elsewhere else. Most of all, these lunches reinforce and remind us to be thankful for this exclusive opportunity. It is not everyone that is able to be part of such a tight-knit community that experiences the same things we do. The miles we run together that leave us out of breath from the running but also the laughs. The immensely stressful races eat away at our nerves but ultimately result in tears of joy and a feeling so ecstatic from the culmination of our hard work. Finally, these lunches continue to empower us, especially as women. Chances are, we are all twice the speed as the other boys in our grade. Yet, we still encounter instances where we feel inferior, not smart enough, not pretty enough, not good enough, just because of the sexist standards still standing in our patriarchal society. Running is a conditioning activity that we took on as a lifestyle that not many people have the courage to embark on. It gives us the strength to keep pushing and shattering glass ceilings, with every sub-20-minute 5K, every win, every baton pass, and even with every failure. As team captain, it was a priority to keep a similar initiative going during Covid where our entire seasons were canceled. Still, we all kept training and improving our craft, and relied on Zoom calls as a substitute for our lunches. We work immensely hard to better ourselves and our team through this sport. These lunches remind us of our strength and genuine capabilities that we may not have realized while training. The ability to just talk about it in this no-judgment zone creates a safe and empowering space that emphasizes our true potential and power.