The track and field program has been a stand out team at the school for many years. Historically, runners and field athletes have state titles under their belts, years of record-breaking times to boast, and several successful seasons at the next level on their resumes. This year, 3 seniors will take their talents to the collegiate level: Ethan Shepherd, Leah Jean, and Wyatt McNeil.
Only about 5.2% of high school track and field athletes are able to continue their careers after high school. Shepherd, Jean, and McNeil are a part of this small percentage, which is an achievement that comes with much hard work, perseverance, and time.
Jean’s dad had introduced her to track at 8 years old, and she instantly fell in love with the sport. She began her running career with NVA track and has been with them ever since. With the foundation she set at a young age, Jean always knew she was going to continue running track at the next level. This past fall, Jean committed to extending her love for the sport at Virginia Wesleyan University.
“Running has always been a big part of my life, and I feel without it college would be weird,” Jean said. “So I felt if I had the opportunity to run, I might as well take it.”
These athletes have endured so much to get to this point. From the late night practices, 90-degree training days, and challenging workouts, the athletes’ commitment to get to the next level shows up on more than just a timecard.
“I wasn’t the best runner because I was coming from a different sport, so I had to work really hard during the summers and made sure I stayed healthy,” St. Bonaventure commit Ethan Shepherd said.
While it is impossible to tell while looking at Shepherd now, he had to teach himself how to be the best at a completely new sport that most kids had been playing for years already. Shepherd had been a swimmer his whole life until he decided that he wanted to focus solely on running. He was worried that starting a new sport late in his teenage years would set him behind, but, with enough training, it became clear that this would not be a problem for Shepherd in the long run.
Being a student athlete is a challenging balancing act. It requires a lot of training and commitment to reach peak performances week in and week out both on the track and in the classroom, something all three of these athletes recognize factoring into their success. Longwood University commit Wyatt McNeil spoke specifically to the in-season pressures he faced.
“Being a student athlete is really challenging at some points throughout the year,” McNeil said, “When you have big races coming up it’s hard to focus on school which can cause you to fall behind.”
Although the end result of committing to college is rewarding, a lot goes into the recruitment process beforehand. Athletes describe the recruiting process as overwhelming, time consuming, and, in some cases, defeating. With that, confidence and drive is necessary to get through this demanding process and eventually reach a place where these athletes can continue pursuing their passions.
“I choose to continue running in college because it is what I love to do,” Shepherd said, “I am a very competitive person, so I love to competing in meets.”
In the long run, the challenges of the recruitment process taught the recent commits new lessons that they will carry into their college career. With those experiences shaping their mindset, these athletes now look ahead with confidence and excitement, eager to embrace the next chapter of their athletic journey at the collegiate level.
“I’m most excited to create new friendships and surround myself with other people who have the same goals I do and to see how fast I can get,” McNeil said, “Hopefully [I can] set a new record for their program.”
