David Gomez '21 Recruiting Profile

I fell in love with running while I was in junior high. It wasn't something I had anticipated, but rather something that happened while trying to improve for a different sport. Since then my passion for cross country grew and I realized that this was the sport I was intended to do. My first season competing I was able to make it to regionals. On the track side I finished 5th in district with a 4:58 1600-- 1 spot shy of making it to regionals. Since then I have loved hitting those markers and set higher standards and goals for myself. 

 My biggest achievement was becoming captain of the varsity team my freshman year. When I became captain, I gained a stronger sense of passion and commitment. It also gave myself a reason to set higher examples, and to take full accountability. These skills helped me in guiding my team to regionals for the first time as a freshman and have repeatedly done so each year. 

I know from experience what it feels like to be stuck in a rut, and sometimes as a team, we have to motivate each other. For example, my freshman and sophomore year of high school I was stuck in the 18 minute marker for the 5k. I was hard on myself for not improving but the issue was that I was not putting in enough miles. I learned from my coach and teammates that I was too focused on the speed aspect. Summer going into junior year, I started to pick up my mileage to an average of 36 miles a week and ran 2 times a day. I began to see my time drop drastically shaving off 2 minutes from the beginning of the season to the end simply for keeping track of my own times. 

My highlight of my career so far has to be of my junior year in winning the district title as a team. I was ecstatic that I beat my own time and set a personal best of 16:40 in the 5k while I set out to qualify for the state meet. I have learned the value of teamwork, commitment, dedication, and leadership throughout these 3 years. I am excited to do it all over again as a senior competing in a new region with different competition. My senior cross country goals are as follows: to be 4X Regional qualifier and 2X State qualifier placing top 20 at state, as well as hitting sub 16. 

I am looking for a program that will be a good fit for me athletically as well as academically. I believe I not only have the talent to compete for a college team, but the character, work-ethic, and leadership skills to make an immediate impact on my future team. As a three-sport athlete and 3-time captain, I know that I have what it takes to be a leader on your team!