Julies (Juju) Perez is a sophomore and first year varsity athlete. As of April 13, Perez set the meet record for long jump at their annual McKracken invitational with 22’5” which was also his personal best. As a multi-event athlete, he is consistently making new records and keeps getting higher places every meet. For a lot of athletes, having a successful track meet is just about getting first place, but not for Perez.
“A successful meet for me means performing at my best, whether that’s setting a personal record or placing well against strong competition,” Perez said. “It’s also about executing my race the way I’ve trained for staying focused, maintaining good form, and giving full effort from start to finish.”
Perez takes pride in his performance knowing he has put in the hours. But just like any athlete, there is always room for improvement.
“One adjustment that really made a difference for me was focusing on my knee drive,” Perez said. “A coach pointed out that keeping my knees high and driving them forward more aggressively would help me generate more power and maintain better form.”
Clearly, Perez takes the pointers he gets and proceeds to get better by taking the critiques. For many runners the best transportation for them doesn’t happen in their legs but in their mindset.
“The most valuable thing I’ve learned from track is discipline and consistency. Progress doesn’t happen overnight, and you have to keep putting in the work even when it’s tough,” Perez said. “Track has taught me how to stay committed to my goals, handle pressure, and keep improving over time.”
In a sport that can be won or lost in a tenth of a second, discipline is what counts. It’s not just about how fast the runner is, it’s about how far dedication takes them.
Brett McCabe is a junior and a first year varsity athlete. As a first year athlete he went to the indoor championship for the 400 with a time of 53.93. He also specializes in mid distance events. When asked about his success, McCabe explained the progress he made through the help of his coaches.
“One adjustment that helped me improve was the positive mindset Coach Shepherd brought every day,” McCabe said. “He had a positive mindset and that rubbed off on me and the whole team which all helped us improve and get better.”
McCabe does not just focus on physical strength, it’s the mental strength that keeps him going, along with the positive people that are around him. That kind of positivity rubs off to how he processes his meets; in addition to looking at the times he did personally, he looks at his contribution with his team.
McCabe changes his perspective by making a plan B for success, looking at the rank his team makes when he doesn’t reach his personal best. He makes sure that their confidence isn’t ruined by the clock. It shows that he moved his win or fail mentality into a more “team before me” mindset. With the highs of personal records and the lows of tiring meets, McCabe knows that the most important reward isn’t just a medal but his mindset.
“The most valuable lesson I’ve learned so far from track was to never give up. Never give up when you are tired and always finish strong for yourself and your team,” McCabe said.
In the end, McCabe’s first year journey of track is full circle. What started as a shift in mindset sparked by a coach’s positivity ended in a personal growth in his sport and mindset. By learning to finish strong no matter his physical toll, McCabe gained resilience that will help him in the future with his sport.
