"There was a certain feeling, a sort of rush that football didn't give me"

I almost didn't run cross country. Starting in second grade, I set my mind on doing football. I wanted to follow in my brothers footsteps and to prove myself because he was really good and I was living in his shadow. I did youth football in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, and 6th grade. It was fun and I had lots of friends in it. But some of my best friends were in XC and they told me to try it because I was good at the mile. I started XC in 7th grade and fell in love with it after the first meet. There was a certain feeling, a sort of rush, that racing gave me that football never did. After that first race, I knew that this was going to be my life and I was going to make my own mark instead of living in my brothers shadow. I grinded during the summer and made JV my eight grade year and moved to varsity freshman year. Now it's sophomore year and I made it to state and our team was the first XC team in school history to win our conference. I think I made the right choice.

- @HeinenBrent ( Brent Heinen )