Name: Sofia Parisi
School: Green Mountain High School
What's your most Memorable Race?
My most memorable track meet was the league relays last year (2019). I was able to take home a league champ in long jump, along with one with my sprint medley team, and an honorable mention with my 4x200 team.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
My biggest competition in track would be my teammate Aspen Randolph. We both started competing for Green Mountain the same year (my sophomore year, her freshman year) and ever since we push each other to get faster, stronger, and jump further.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
I was an alternate my first year and competed my second year at state in the medley. It was so cool that I got to represent my school in the first event of the entire meet!
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your career in high school?
If I could do high school all over again I wish I would've ran my freshman year (I play competitive beach volleyball as well, therefore I wasn't at the point were I felt I could do two sports in one season and maintain good grades).
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
The most difficult obstacles in my track career has been the canceling due to the corona virus. It has been hard to not know what will come or how much track I will be able to run my last year. My teammates and I have over come this by doing at home work outs to keep us in the best shape so we can actually hit the round running when we can.
What will you miss the most?
The thing I will miss most about track is the meets. At meets I have competed and met the most fun and amazing student athletes on my own team and other teams. Our GM team has bonded so tightly that we all are best friends competing with, against each other, and off the track and pits as well. Meets are something we all look forward to to show school spirit and bond even more.
What advice would you give to younger athletes?
To younger athletes not in track - join! Track is an easy way to meet new people and stay in shape. Even if you are in a different sport and have never ran, give it a try because it's a great cross training as well as a varsity sport. To younger athletes already competing in track, try every event you have a slight interest in as soon as you can! You may have no idea what you are missing out on or how good you could be at an event.
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
My track coaches at GM have taught me the importance of hard work. Track is a team sport to me, but individually, you must put the work in for your team.
Coach Boston always shows us inspirational videos when our team is at a crossroad or even when we are at our peak. He also does every assigned workout with us to help us and show how much he cares for us and the sport. Coach Vestal has pushed me to try new techniques in jumping, even if they seem uncomfortable at first, in the end they have made me improve.
Coach Fanelli is our boys head coach, but even then she has added so much joy at practice as well as helping us with techniques and workouts.
Coach Armani has helped so much with my blocks. He takes pictures of my starts at meets to show me what is good and what can be improved.
And Coach Cale, he is the throwing coach and I have not had him as a coach but his experience as a D1 athlete has helped our throwing tremendously.
What are your college plans?
My plans for college is the attend Concordia University-Irvine, to study media and marketing business as well as play D1 beach volleyball.
Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?
Like stated above, I would like to say thank you to the track and field coaches at GM. I never thought that I would run for fun when I first came to GM, now I am proud to be apart of such an amazing track and field program. Along with my coaches, I would like to thank all of the officials who have ran our meets; without you guys we wouldn't even be able to compete!