Crawford’s Cross Country Team by Eh Gay

Crawford’s Cross Country Team by Eh Gay - January 2024 Scholarship Essay

Uncertain on how I wanted my high school experience to look as an underclassman, running was not an aspect I was ready to commit to. As one of the few girls in a predominantly male cross-country team, I struggled against a sense of exclusion. Eager for more representation, I persevered, dedicating myself to the team and striving for personal improvement. In my junior year, I overcame my anxiety when many girls joined the team. I recruited many new girls to give running a try. One teammate I worked closely with was struggling in the same situation I was in once, a first-time athlete. I mentored her during practices to control her breathing and paced with her during races. Seeing the impact from her results, I wanted to provide support to as many girls as I could. I embraced this role of being a resource to all new female runners, always reminding my teammates to have fun and ignore negative thoughts that are destructive to self-confidence.
Serving as a mentor went beyond encouragement; it became a vital support system in the physically demanding realm of running. I became the runner underclassmen could look up to, bridging the gap I had felt when I first started running. The increased diversity on the team was impactful: the following year, our team qualified for the CIF State Cross Country Championships and many ran at the State level. This was huge for the team and me because not only were we running for the competition, but we were representing the women of Crawford.
Representation and inclusion of girls in this sport are important because equality and inclusivity are core values for a successful athletics program. Running was never a main passion of mine, but it is worth it to be there for others who are learning the sport, as I once did. The number of girls on my cross country team has increased from 3 to 25 girls, all of whom I have mentored along with a few other leaders. I am grateful to have been part of improving the community of my cross-country team.