Captain Profile: Ashley, Standing By My SRLA Family
Ashley is a senior and SRLA Captain at Los Angeles High School . She is training to complete her fourth marathon with SRLA this season and hopes to run many more in the future. Ashley says “SRLA has cultivated in me a passion for running that will last a lifetime.”
What motivated you to join SRLA?
To be honest, my motivation for joining wasn't the traditional reason why people join. I wasn't athletic and had never been in a team. As an 8th grader in middle school, I was an impressionable girl who was influenced by my friends to join SRLA. I didn't even have an initial passion for running but I wanted to be a part of something bigger. Little did I know that would've been one of the best decisions in my life. I fell in love with the program. Throughout my years in SRLA I learned to step up and lead warm ups. I learned how to organize team events and fundraisers. I even gained courage to recruit new additions to our SRLA family. Most importantly, I gained a newfound passion for running and socializing.
What motivated you to become an SRLA Captain?
The enriching experience passed down by my leaders and captains inspired me to be the person who can provide that for others just as they did for me. SRLA was not a program in my freshman year. I remember looking at club rush for SRLA but there was none. When it got approved in my sophomore year I knew I had to join. Since the program was new, I felt it was my calling to be a voice for SRLA in terms of speaking about the resources they provide. Finally as a senior, I was given the role as captain to take our team and make it feel like a family.
What has been your biggest challenge so far as Captain? How did you overcome it?
Well, I think if anyone were to take a wild guess and say it is the pandemic, they would be absolutely correct. I had already formed an idea of what my senior year was going to look like. Last year's seniors were stripped from their activities, never would I have thought I would be those seniors next. I was ready to go to school, run with our SRLA team, grab a salad provided by our coaches, and then head to the Starbucks down the hill to chat with teammates. Covid-19 came and we had to adjust. For example, Zoom has become our new gym and we started recruiting using our Instagram platforms. Motivation is scarce during quarantine so to fix this, we started hosting virtual contests such as a boys vs girls contest to increase our mileage. Among other adjustments, we used the new "Among us" game to promote team bonding and help new members go from 'strangers' to family.
What is one thing you want to accomplish as Captain?
My main goal as captain is to make the best out of everyone's experience. I want to assure that every single one of my teammates crosses the finish line; to provide support and stand by them when they hit a wall in their training.
Fun facts about Ashley:
One thing I can't run without is my trusty running shoes and special socks.
My favorite place to run is down my street :)
My favorite post-run snack is an orange..or two or three.
The best part of every race is feeling accomplished and rewarded as a team for putting in training.
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