Ainsley Plumadore '19 Recruiting Profile

Starting off high school I never imagined that I would become a competitive track athlete. I always loved running, but I never saw myself doing it as a sport. It wasn’t until the end of soccer season that year that some of my friends convinced me to go to tryouts. Before that running had just been a way for me to clear my mind. Now it is the sport that I love, but an injury at the start of my junior year threatened my ability to run.

I had previously sprained my ankle at a soccer camp that summer and was just getting back from it when I twisted it while running at school. I ended up tearing two ligaments. I was out for my entire soccer/cross-country season. I struggled with this as I sat and watched my teammates for both soccer, the sport I grew up playing and loved, and cross-country compete. It was absolute torture for me, but the one thing I remember the most is the support from my teammates. They helped me get through this bump in the road and come back stronger. That injury showed me what it meant to be part of a team. It also showed me other ways to “play” even if you’re sitting on the sideline.