Joseph Gray '15 Recruiting Profile

To me there are two important aspects of track that I enjoy: pushing my mental and physical self to be the best athlete I can be, and being part of the team itself. Sometimes people forget that track is a team sport but because of my urge for camaraderie and my sense of community, my high school track team is incredibly important to me and I think has helped create strong bonds among the whole team. One of the ways I try to maintain this sense of camaraderie with my team is by having my relay team meet up during the week just get to know each other better when we are not running. I think this is important because having a strong team can easily affect each of our future's: during the race and in everyday life. Currently, during my offseason (as a Sprinter I don't run XC in the fall) I have put together a small workout group where we work on explosive workouts while maintaining the importance of recovery and staying healthy. There are times when the only person who shows up for the group workout is me... but I'm okay with that and try and work just as hard as I wold when being pushed by a teammate.

Some of my best experiences so far have been because of Track. I've been to Nationals in both Winter and Spring in my Freshman and Sophomore years. I really get inspired by the atmosphere at the big events... and I love the crazy energy and pumping music at the Armory in New York as well as the more mellow feeling (and the biscuits!) in Greensboro, NC.  I got to run In Australia during the summer of 2013 and had an incredible trip, in addition to winning two bronze medals! 

My High School academic work got off to a slow start. Up until the 2nd semester of my sophomore year I had no clue what I wanted to become, until I was inspired by friend who is majoring in architecture. At that moment of talking to her I realized that ever since I was little I loved to build and design things, so I thought to myself "Why not study that?" and thus the question about my major was answered. I have begun to immerse myself among this art form using the same mentality I've learned in track. I believe that these skills I've learned in track will help me focus in on my aspirations to succeed.

Within my school environment, underclassmen as well as upper-classmen view me as a responsible role model, demonstrated by my active participation in our school's Teen Prevention Education Program. This program brings together 28 student leaders with diverse interests and enables them to discuss sensitive subjects such as date rape, pregnancy prevention, and homophobia reduction and then has us lead workshops to educate underclassmen on these issues, providing more of a peer to peer way of delivering an important message. Outside of school during the summer I participate in Cape Cod Sea Camps Junior Counselor Corps, which teaches individuals about methods of leadership as well as the importance for unity, camaraderie, and team spirit. This past summer I completed my third year of the Corps training in which I was responsible (along with the other 3rd year Corps members) for younger campers. This summer provided me with a cornucopia of knowledge on new ways of providing leadership.

In college I expect to study architecture to help shape a new image, and I want to work with a Track coach who can help me be the best athlete I can be.

I do hope you are interested in me, as well as my times, and I hope to hear from you soon!