Jacqueline Lulaj '20 Recruiting Profile

I am a varsity cross country and track and field runner. I have been on the track and field team since my freshman year and the cross country team since my junior year, which are both coached by Chris Woodford. I am a dedicated athlete as I continue to practice and work out during the off-seasons. During the summer, I do various training exercises and during the winter I participate on our winter track club. These workouts range from mile runs to intervals to hurdle training to keep myself strong and prepared for the upcoming seasons. I play an active part on the teams because, though we do not give titles to anyone, my coach considers me to be the captain on both teams not only because of my speed and my contributions, but also because of my positive influence on the other girls. I keep everyone motivated to become better runners by communicating and working out with them.

During my first cross country season I qualified for the Bergen County Meet of Champions and the NJSIAA Sectionals. Each race that I competed in, I continued to perform better and better, showing that I am dedicated to constantly improving. At the beginning of the season I started with a time of 24:34 and ended my first season with a time of 21:05. As a result, I was the only athlete on the team to receive the 1st Team All-League award. Outside of cross country, I am a mid-distance runner, typically running the 400m hurdles, and the 800m. The intermediate hurdles is my favorite race and the one I’m strongest suited for because of the way I plan out my races. I also have won the majority of my medals and qualified for the NJSIAA Groups in the 400m hurdles.

I am different from others because I am a tactical runner. I talk with my coach before every meet to come up with a game plan. He gives me a scouting report on the other athletes and their times. Doing this helps me understand what I must do to perform my best against the other runners. I believe this is a crucial factor to running because it is important to understand the athletes I’m running against and to break down the track in sections to consider how I should be running at certain points of the track. I use this method a lot in my 800m races in order to gain an edge over the other runners, especially near the last 200m. If I do not perform well in any race, I reflect back on it to think about what I must do to improve and prevent the same mistakes from happening again. This in turn, keeps me striving to be the best I can be. 

Outside of sports, I challenge myself by taking AP and Honors courses while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. I participate in many clubs in my school such as Spanish Club and a charity club, called Small Acts for Change. In school, I am in the band, as well as the marching band, where I perform at concerts and at football games. I also perform in a quartet with my friends at senior centers, and volunteer at the local senior center on my own time.

Altogether, these experiences prepare me for college, academically and athletically. Because I am constantly pushing myself to become a better student, I have proved to myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to. The multiple AP and honors courses allow me to understand what a college course is like and the different types of athletes I have raced against give me the chance to improve upon my skills. I know that on any team I run for, I will become a better and stronger runner.