There are some things in life that some people are just born to do, and for someone who has an abundance of energy and loves to compete, track is a suitable sport. Senior Alondriah Brown has been running since childhood, and she doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
“[I’ve been running] since I was seven,” Brown said. “I ran with the school, with some summer teams, [and at] Jane Long Middle School. It’s fun. I have lots of energy, and I like to run.”
Brown currently participates in the 4×100 relay, the 4×400 relay, and she plans to run her favorite race, the 400, at a college level in the fall.
“I’m going to college for [the 400] in the fall, but I don’t know where yet,” Brown said. “[I’m considering] Texas A&M, Mizzou, Nebraska, Baylor, UT Arlington, and some other choices.”
In addition to being able to release her energy through track, Brown loves the challenge and competition involved in running the race.
“I love competing,” Brown said. “It gets me my first-place medal to put on my wall. [My favorite part about track is] being with my friends and competing for first place. We cheer each other on.”
Brown’s love of running and her determination to succeed does not go unnoticed by track coach Stacy Beal.
“Alondriah is very tough,” Beal said. “There have been several times she’s thrown up before her race, and she still gets out there and actually does quite well. She’s very playful, yet she knows when to get serious and when to compete, and she’s always right on target with that. She gets on the track and aims to do her very best.”
According to her teammates, Brown is a leader who is admired for never giving up. Close friend and teammate Penny Watson looks up to Brown for her strong work ethic.
“She doesn’t let one little thing stop her,” Watson said. “Sometimes she can be really hard on herself, but it actually pushes her to go harder. Her best quality is her determination. If nobody else is going to do it, she’s going to do it, so when we see her being so determined, it helps us as a team be determined.”
The motivation that Brown brings her teammates has served the track team well over the past couple of years, and as a team, they have been attending the prestigious Texas Relays races.
“For the past two years we’ve been going to Texas Relays, and we’ve been doing well,” Brown said. “You have to qualify, so you have to have a fast time. We went there for the 4×100, the 4×200, and I went there for the 100.”
Although this was a memorable experience in all aspects, Brown’s favorite track memory would be qualifying for regionals.
“We made it to regionals in the 4×100,” Brown said. “We didn’t make it to state, but this year we’re [determined to make it] to state.”
Beal says Brown’s talent is a huge contribution to the track team, and she enjoys watching Brown compete.
“She’s our fastest kid out there in pretty much any race you run, but she’s also a leader, and she pulls the team together when it’s time to pull together and competes,” Beal said. “That’s what we have to have in track. She’s a beautiful girl with a tremendous talent. I look forward to watching her run every single race.”
