Cross country captain, Kai Sloan, says goodbye to a four year run
Ava Memarzadeh, Staff Writer
For most high school students running one mile, let alone eight, is an unbearable thought. However, for the captain of the cross country team, Kai Sloan (’22), it is the highlight of his day. Despite being less experienced than other members, Sloan made the brave decision to quit soccer and pursue cross country and track during his freshman year. After three years of being on the team, he is one of Samo’s star runners and captain of the cross country team.
“I worked really hard to be a leader. I used to be one of the worst on the team, and now I’m on Varsity,” Sloan said.
Now, as a senior, Sloan is able to guide those in his previous position and inspire them to succeed.
As captain, a part of his role is to run the drills and warm-ups as well as be a friendly face and cheer on the team. Sloan’s charisma and natural leadership skills make him to be the ideal captain for his team members. He plays a significant role in the younger members’ lives due to his encouraging presence that provides them the motivation to keep improving.
Besides his love for leadership and his role of captain, Sloan also has a deep passion for the sport itself. When running, he is able to reflect on his day and anchor himself, something he appreciates from the sport. Running gives him a sense of accomplishment, motivation and valuable life skills that he has applied throughout his high school career. For instance, he has learned the importance of meeting small goals on the track field and applied the same headspace to school work.
“It’s always something that I can count on to give me motivation and energy for the rest of my day,” Sloan said.
Besides his busy schedule as a student athlete, Sloan enjoys playing the guitar and crocheting in his free time. In fact, he is the treasurer for the crochet club at Samo. However, his main passion is related to science. After taking a myriad of science classes at Samo, he has come to love the medical field, especially biomedical engineering or epidemiology. Upon graduation, he hopes to either study Biomedical Engineering or Epidemiology, both encompassing his love for science while also incorporating innovative thinking and creativity. Although not competitively, he hopes to continue his passion for running past graduation in some capacity.
