Senior Spotlight: Rylan Wells

Each week we will feature one or two of our fantastic senior members of the Cross Country team.

This week's feature is Rylan Wells.

Rylan has been a member of the cross country team for four years, three of which he has been a contributing member of the varsity squad. As a junior, Rylan led the team in the state championship with a 28th place finish. Rylan has also qualified for state championships in track & field in the 1600 and 3200m runs. Although recovering from injury thus far his senior year, Rylan continues to be a leader for the team as they eagerly await his return to action.

Let's learn a little more about Rylan!

Years Running Cross Country:

Freshman Year (2020) to Senior year (2023). I have been running cross country since second grade, so I wanted to continue in high school because it is a different experience than club teams. I watched my two older brothers run through high school and into college, and I wanted to follow in their footsteps.

PRs:

3200, 9:41

1600, 4:27

XC, 16:08

A few favorite moments from meets or practice...

Before cross-country races, the varsity boys circle up and pray together which has been a favorite for me. The boy's team placed at NXR, all running PRs, and then all of us called Coach Shirk to tell him. (Coach Shirk notes this was actually a facetime call, and it was awesome!)

Most embarrassing XC moment?

My first official high school cross-country was my sophomore year, and I ran the last mile of the race at Great Meadows without any shoes because I wore spikes that were a full size too big.

If you could pick a Quote of the Week, what would it be?

"Cross country isn't just a sport; it's a journey, a race with no finish line but a world of discovery."

Impart some wisdom on our younger and future runners....what should they know?

Being a part of a team, like the cross country team, in high school is so important because it brings you out of your shell and introduces you to so many new people and experiences that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

Current/possible plans for next year?

I want to study mechanical engineering in college. If I can find a college where I can both study and run, that would be amazing, but if not I will continue to train and meet new people that I can run with.

If you could have dinner with anyone (alive or from the past) who would it be and why?

I would have dinner with my grandmother who lives on the west coast and doesn't travel anymore. I haven't seen her in a long time and I would really love to see her again in person.

Do you have a song that gets you pumped up for racing? If so, which song? If not, what does get you pumped?

Joking around with the team on the warm-up before the race helps me prepare. Ty Blair told me that you race the best when you are the most relaxed.

Do you have anything others may not know about you related to running XC? Superstitions, strange routines....?

I have to wear my cross-country/track shoes before every race (see picture).

Favorite or most influential teacher (from any year, K-12), and why?

My favorite teacher is Mrs. Stickley. She was my Spanish teacher in 9th and 10th grade. She is a fantastic teacher who made Spanish come alive. She always offered a helping hand and loved talking about running with me. Even though she isn’t my teacher anymore, she still makes an effort to reach out to me to keep in touch.

Who would you like to thank for your journey through LVHS?

I would like to thank all of my teammates, current and former, and my parents for my journey through LVHS because without the support of my teammates, I would not have had the motivation to push myself. I would like to thank my parents for all of their support, love, and time they have dedicated to me throughout my running career from long drives to meets or words of encouragement through injuries. Without them, I would not be the runner I am today.

Anything else you would like to say as a senior?

I recently had a stress fracture that kept me from running for five months. I was deciding on whether or not I wanted to return to the team. I ultimately decided to come back to the team because I would miss my teammates and the feeling you get from being on a team.