FHS senior Marie Anne Madrigal has participated in Track and Field and Cross Country all three of her in-person years of high school. Madrigal is head captain of the Track and Field team and the Girls Cross country team. She has won many awards, being named team MVP and winning the Captain Leadership Award during her time on both teams. 

As team captain, Madrigal takes on multiple responsibilities to ensure practice runs smoothly and that her teammates reach their full potential. She, along with the other captains, lead the team through drills and warm-ups and keeps the team optimistic.  

“I think a good captain consists of someone who is willing to help out their teammates and willing to be a good role model and keep up a positive attitude,” Madrigal said.  

Madrigal has been a track athlete since middle school. Though she is now a committed runner, Madrigal mentioned that she was not always a fan of the sport. 

“I actually hated running with a passion,” Madrigal said. “Running was never something that originally interested me. I kind of did it just to fit in but I ended up staying on the team because I really liked the sense of community.”  

She explained that after being on the cross country team for a while, she learned the proper techniques for running and learned to be more in-tune with her body which helped her begin to enjoy the sport more. She added that the tips she receives from her coaches are very useful. 

Madrigal credited social media with helping her stay focused on her goals, as she was left inspired by watching others strive for similar achievements. She also acknowledged the role of her teammates and coaches in keeping her motivated. 

“Running is a huge mental sport and it can be complicated trying to battle your thoughts, but you always have the team motivating you to just keep pushing through,” Madrigal said. 

With after-school practices and weekend races, Madrigal admitted it can be difficult to balance a social life, an academic schedule and her sports. This is especially tricky since practices and races do not have set times. She explained that being an athlete has taught her to prioritize her academic responsibilities with her personal commitments and involves many sacrifices. 

“You might have to sacrifice hanging out with your friends to go to practice, or sometimes you’re not gonna finish like your history homework all in one night so you’re gonna have to wake up early and finish it before it’s due,” Madrigal said. 

As Madrigal continues her journey through Cross Country and Track, she serves as an inspiration to all athletes. She proves that passion can come from places one least expects it.