Senior Zachary Owens, a student-athlete at Shadow Ridge, has been running track since his freshman year. His love and dedication for the sport make him the outstanding and consistent athlete he is today.
“I first joined the track team and began running my freshman year of high school,” stated Owens. “I originally joined track to get faster and I ended up loving it.”
After joining the track team his first year of high school, he made big goals for himself. He wanted to get faster because he loved the sport.
Coach Michael Smith says, “Zach’s work ethic has changed so much the past few years. His freshman and sophomore years, he was just doing enough to get by. However, now he really pushes himself by working on his form and pushes his limits.”
His mental and physical strength are what make him the athlete he is. His attitude toward track has grown tremendously and changed over his years of running.
Owens states, “My favorite part about track is getting to win different events with my friends.”
Competing with his friends is a huge part of one of his events, as it is the 4×400 relay. He loves getting to win and celebrate as a team.
“My biggest accomplishment throughout my years of running is when the 4×400 relay team placed in state my sophomore year,” explained Owens.
This was a big accomplishment for everyone on that team two years ago, especially after some have graduated. His aspirations are working toward getting better for the team and for himself so they can win more competitions.
Owens said, “Outside of normal track practices and meet days, I go to the gym to lift weights and during the off season for school, I train with my club track team.”
It is important to train outside of just spring track for school. Owens wanted to be bigger, faster, and stronger to be a better athlete, so he had to train in the gym and on his own time.
“I hope to see Zach break 50 seconds in the 400 and become a state champion in the boys 4x400m team,” Smith continues. “I also hope he gets the recognition he deserves. He tends to be overshadowed at times and he is one of those athletes that should be out of the shadows and shining.”
With these big goals from his coach and expectations of himself, Owens will get the recognition he deserves. He is a dedicated student athlete that continues to grow and strive towards his goals and shines with his accomplishments.
