He took a deep breath, got a pat on the back, and a few words of encouragement from his teammates as he walked out on the track. This is exactly what he needed, though, as just a few minutes later, freshman Emmanuel Glahn came first place in the 400-meter dash at the JV and Varsity home meet.
The senior team leaders often set the stage, sharing words of encouragement with Emmanuel that help “boost [his] confidence and not be so scared before races.”
But, these mentors help in more ways than one, as they have also become a great way to encourage him to get better.
“I am always eager to train and compete against upperclassmen because they are more experienced,” he said, “one day I might have to fill in for them, so I try to look at their running techniques and what is best for them so that I don’t struggle.”
Even in practice, he goes out of his comfort zone to improve his skills.
“I also try to challenge myself by putting myself in the older group,” Emmanuel added, “I try to compete with them and push myself so that I can learn from them and be better as the years go on.”
This attitude is everything regarding having a good season, especially considering the many events he has been competing in.
These various events include the “shuttle hurdle relays, 200-meter dash, 4 x 400-meter relay, 4 x 200-meter relays, 400-meter low hurdles, 400-meter dash, and long jump.”
Adjusting to having so much on his plate has been a bit of a learning curve in comparison to his middle school years, but that still hasn’t stopped him from setting some good goals for himself.
In the upcoming meet, Emmanuel is running the 100-meter dash. He simply hopes to “get a good time” that he is satisfied with, keeping in mind that improvement in any way means everything.
“It doesn’t matter how big or experienced you are,” Emmanuel said, “Once you stay locked in and have confidence in yourself, you can win any race.”