Running made me a leader.

Leader, the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country. I feel like I became a leader from being a member of the Hamilton Cross Country team for six years. I was not the top runner, I do not have the ideal runners body, I was not even close to being the fastest kid on the team, but I was an encourager and a motivator, I had determination and grit. I pushed myself daily to be the best runner I could be. I faces many battles, on and off the course. After two knee surgeries, I could have just given up and quit the sport entirely, but i did not do that. I kept running, I never backed out of a workout, no matter how hard it was, and I encouraged my team members when they were feeling anything less than champions. Just wearing my Hamilton Cross Country shirt made me feel like a leader. I felt so much pride stepping out not only in my community, but in other communities knowing I was apart of an amazing team, representing my school, my sport, and my father, the coach. This sport is not just about being in the top ten or getting a medal, it is about being apart of a team. Anyone can go out and run for themselves, but being apart of a team with people who are trying to reach the same goal as you, is running for something bigger than yourself. After six years of competing in this great sport, I feel like my leadership skills are at an alltime high. I believe I can use my leadership skills now to encourage up and coming runners, little kids that looked up to us older runners, and on and off the course. A leader, that is what I am, and that is what I will continue to be.

- Camryn Massingill ( @Camrynmassxc )