CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The 2023 Senior Perspectives is the 18th in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of teams at Harvard have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Harvard.
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Hometown: Belmont, Mass.
Sport: Men's Track and Field
Concentration: Human Development and Regenerative Biology
House: Quincy
"Based on your try out I would not currently be able to offer you a spot on the team."
"I would not be able to offer you a spot on the team at this point."
These messages from Coach Mang (Marc Mangiacotti) were devastating to say the least. I dedicated my entire summer for that first year try out, and then trekked to BU to train alone, all with the hopes of joining HUTF. By December, I was still a fraction of a second above the team standard. It felt like I failed and let myself down, even though only 1.9% of high school athletes make it to NCAA Division I Track and Field.
Then Coach Saretsky and Mang decided that I jumped through enough hoops and they'd give me a shot on the team, despite still not hitting the times. From that moment on, I made it my goal to pay them back and show I deserved to be on this team.
Nothing could have prepared me for the hell I endured that semester. As a mid-season walk-on, I was already behind everyone in training preparations, and had new names (and hometowns and high schools) to learn. I was "that kid" who always threw up after Workout Wednesdays and lagged behind the rest during our final reps. My first 400m race for HUTF was a messy one as I stumbled across the line in 52.29, but it all started to come together when I broke 51 seconds for the first time and earned my spot at outdoor Heptagonals on the 4x100m relay.
When we finally returned to campus my junior year, I was blessed to have been elected captain alongside my lifelong friends Aaron, Jada, Kyle and Kylie. Serving this role last year was a rollercoaster to say the least: restrictions hampered our positive team culture, a majority of our team had never even competed for Harvard, and there truly was no playbook for returning from a pandemic. It was daunting to be HUTF's leader when it felt as though I was still finding my own ground as the mid-season walk-on. But that year, Aaron, Kyle, and I led the men to two second place finishes at indoor heptagonals and outdoor heptagonals, outscoring every Harvard team in history. Personal accolades included a new 400m PR (48.29), an all-time mark in the 300m, and a medal at indoor heptagonals from the distance medley relay.
Every meet, I tell the guys to go out there and be the best version of themselves. This applies beyond quantitative metrics like the aforementioned PRs or medals. Being the best version of yourself means locking in on the controllables and having "good vibes" on meet day. It means holding yourself and your teammates accountable. It means simply having your teammates' backs no matter what happened in your own event. These characteristics embodied by my teammates are truly what makes HUTF special.
As I enter my final season, I reflect on what got me here today. It's easy to attribute the countless hours on the track to my success. But the truth is, I wouldn't be who I am today without my team. My team holds me accountable. My team stands by my side in my highest of highs and lowest of lows. My team fights for me and never quits. HUTF, know I do the same for you every time I step into Gordon, and will be on your team for life.
Thank you to the entire coaching staff for your support and taking a chance on me. Thank you Coach Mang for mentoring me and investing your energy into my growth as both an athlete and a person. Thank you Nic, Pietra, Chris, G, and all the other trainers who have fixed my hamstrings over the years. Thank you to all my co-captains for keeping me and the rest of the team afloat. Thank you to every Mang Mob member I've shared the track with, y'all are truly my eternal brothers. Thank you HUTF. Being your captain for two years was truly the honor of a lifetime, and I can't wait to see what's in store for this season and beyond. Go Crimson!
