WyoMileSplit -Salute to Seniors -- Gaige Arnold - Cody

Milesplit Salute to Graduation Seniors

Gaige Arnold
 Cody High School

 

What was your most memorable race/moment?

At State, I was second leg in my 4x100, and I remember thinking that I was giving it my all. I glanced around, and it felt like I was shot. All pain and weariness left me, and I kicked it up even further, landing a handoff perfectly for the first time in 3 meets.

Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?

My own brain. The only one that can hold you back in a competition is yourself. You're the one that goes to practice, you're the one that works hard, and you're the one that blows it if something goes wrong.

What was your greatest accomplishment?

Being able to compete with Mathew Skinner, someone I looked up to, and to be a part of his relay.

If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?

I would've kept with hurdling instead of quitting after an accident in middle school, and coming back my junior year.

What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

My allergies. I have a lot of allergies to plants that are extremely common in Wyoming, and some days it really got to me and I thought I'd quit because I couldn't breathe enough air to perform at my max. So I felt it was pointless and I wasn't getting anything done, but I kept with it so I could make not only my parents proud, but my coaches too.

What will you miss the most?

I'll miss the bond the team shares, even though we all compete in individual events that are sometimes completely different from each other. We all know we're a team, and I have a lot of great memories to prove that.

What advice you would give to younger athletes?

Make friends with everyone, and that includes other teams. Hate racing feels awful, especially at the end of the race. But when you make friends with other competitors, you all push yourselves that much more and it feels great knowing that you beat someone you knew. It becomes a great accomplishment that you've out done a friend that was once better than you, rather than just you beating an athlete you don't know.

What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?

My coaches have done their best to make sure that, not only me, but everyone on the team is excited for the event they compete in. If they felt that someone could do better and have a better experience in a different event, they would encourage giving it a try and if the athlete didn't like it that was the end. They asked me to give the hurdles another try my junior year, and I realized I had a great time running them so I'm thankful that they were as supportive as they were.

What are your college plans?

I plan on going to University of Wyoming and applying to track team, and if they don't take me I'll be completing okay with it because of what I accomplished in my high school years

Who would you like to say thank you to?

I want to thank Coach McFadden and Coach Engdall for being there since freshman year. For always pushing me to be my best not only in track, but in football and my academics as well. They and all the other coaches have helped me through tough times, and I couldn't be more thankful.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I'll only add that some of my happiest memories were with my track team, and anyone feeling down should look into involving themselves in a sport to make tightly knit bonds with others.



We are reviving our Salute To Seniors series. It's kind of like "Senior farewells". We wanted to highlight the senior class over the next coming weeks before they off to college. We wanted to give these athletes a chance to share their story and experiences.

So here are the questions. You can either answer them in Q&A format or if you want to write out your own responses in a story whichever is easiest. E-mail me the responses along with 3-4 pictures to sshaffer1809@gmail.com  If you are a coach please pass this onto your team. If you are an athlete and are a senior feel free to participate or send this to teammates and friends. Let's send our seniors off on a positive note and thank for what they've done over the past four years of their high school careers!

Name:

School:

What was your most memorable race/moment?

Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?

What was your greatest accomplishment?

If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?

What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

What will you miss the most?

What advice you would give to younger athletes?

What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?

What are your college plans?

Who would you like to say thank you to?

Is there anything else you'd like to add?