The Girls Varsity and Junior Varsity Cross Country teams won the Queens Borough Championships on Saturday, October 26. After a strong season, some of the runners shared their own experiences on the path to becoming Queens Borough Champions.
As the runners began to gather at the starting line, they each set goals for themselves… Sophomore Natalia Piszczatowski shared that running the 5K was about more than just competing, it was a chance to set a personal record. She said “Once you’re at the start line, the only thing on your mind is to run. There are no doubts, just the need to win.” Piszczatowki’s mindset for this race was shared by many of the runners during their events. Throughout the race, their personal motivation strategies helped them strive to overcome challenges, to the team’s success.
During the race, the team utilized what was taught by their coaches, Coach Mark Benjamin (known to the players as Coach B) and Coach Timothy Connor. From having “pacing buddies” to calming techniques, each girl had their own way of preparing for the race. Junior Stephanie Martinez described how she found comfort in the constant encouragement of her teammates, which helped her thrive in preparation for the meet. Stephanie said, “[her] pacing buddy really kept [her] going, especially up those hills.”
Freshman Amaya De Lorenzo said that she competed with the legacy that the team holds in mind. Amaya said”I had confidence because I knew our history. Townsend has been winning borough champs for years.” Although the weight of that “legacy” could have added pressure for Amaya, it instead pushed her to perform her best.
After the championship, Coach B said that all of the girls’ performances were outstanding and “really impressive.” Looking back on all of the competitions this season, he said “Coach Connor and I have prepared the girls to do well all around in every meet we attended.” When asked how the team dynamics play a role in their performance, he said “The girls run and work together better than almost any team I’ve ever been with. They are such an amazing group of young ladies which is what drives me to come work with them.”
