Hammond's Rosemary Prepares for Final State Meet

Rosemary is a very talented and natural athlete. Whether she is on the soccer field or on the track she is a great teammate and a fierce competitor.  Her smile and encouraging words help her teammates push through tough workouts and excel in meets. - Hammond School Coach Bralyn Bennett 



How would you rate the season so far?
This season has been a whirlwind of excitement. As this is my first real season of track and also my senior year, I had no real expectations but just was excited to see what I could achieve. Due to the fact that I also play soccer in the spring, I knew my time would be split between both sports. However, both of my coaches have been extremely supportive in helping me maintain this balance. I am so proud of everything Hammond track has accomplished, and I am so excited to see what we do on Saturday.

How did you get involved in the sport?
Track has always been a sport I have wanted to do. Throughout high school I was involved in so many other things, it wasn't really an option. However, in looking at how to maximize my senior year, I decided to just go for it and I am so happy that I did!! I love to compete and running has been the perfect outlet this year!! 

Wh
at do you hope to achieve this weekend? Please describe/explain.
My only real goal is to run my personal best race. I would love to place in my events to help score for my team, and I am pumped to see if our 4x100 has the possibility to win it all. However, I am just excited to put on my Hammond uniform for one of the final times and really compete. I want to prove it is possible to be successful in two sports in one season. 

What is your training like this week?
This week is all about getting all the kinks ironed out: working on starts, handoffs, and remembering to stay in my lane. It is a lot of working on the basic skills to ensure that I, along with the rest of my team, reach our potential. I find time to practice before my soccer games, which ends up being the perfect warm up. Coach Bennett has been so helpful in putting me in a mindset of success. 

What part of the race do you feel is your strongest and most
challenging? Please explain.
For me, the most challenging part is getting past the mindset during the start that everyone on the line next to me is going to beat me because they have had more experience. I have had to learn how to believe in my abilities and use that confidence to be successful. The strongest part of my race is my finish. I enjoy competing, and once I get out of my head and really begin to run, I am able to finish strong. I hope to use the confidence of my finish throughout my entire races on Saturday. 

What do you hope to do after the regular season?
After the regular season, I hope to continue to run to stay in shape in college and in my life beyond. I will miss the competition, but just running can always turn my day around.  

What keeps you motivated?
What keeps me motivated is just always trying to reach a new potential. I am never satisfied with staying static. Personal and team goals are so crucial in success because they give you a reason to just push that little bit harder. And I live for the feeling when goals are completed so new ones are naturally formed. This year, I wanted to leave Hammond with at least one more state medal, so every day I use that goal as my motivation to do everything I possibly can to make that goal a reality. 

What will you remember about being on the Hammond team?
I will remember screaming at the top of my lungs for my teammates watching them finish off the other legs of the 4x100m, the fun bus rides and amazing snacks at meets and the support from my coach who would wait in the dark until my entire soccer practice would end so he could work one-on-one with me on my start. I have loved wearing a uniform for the best school in SCISA, and I am sad it will be retired soon. However, I would not trade my experience in Hammond athletics for anything. 


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