National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

Sammy Watson's Road to NBNI Blogs: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3

Photos by Vic Sailer, Photorun.net: Sammy Watson with her Comet TC/Rush-Henrietta teammates after winning the NBNI SMR in national record time and (bottom photo) anchoring said relay.
 

This is my last blog of the indoor season; the season’s over already as I had nationals last weekend.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to do this and I did not keep up on them well.  But if I do get offered the chance to do this again, I will set aside more time and appreciate how things have gone for me.

Nationals was successful: Double national champion in the sprint medley relay and the 800m, and I'm coming for more outdoors.  I don't think I'm grateful enough for everything this season and it doesn't feel real.  But I did it and I'm overly excited and joyful.

I've broken many records and set many PR's that I never thought I could achieve.  I was nervous, but I wanted it so bad.  I've gotten nipped at the end in a lot of my past races and I wasn't going to lose by a dip again.  It was tiring and it was painful throughout the season in training and races, but it was worth it for these titles and fun at the end.

My coach is the best, he's gotten me here so I thank him a lot, he pushes me and designs workouts that help us peak at the right times.  He is always helpful and positive, and he gives the best inspirational speeches.  I thank my mom, too, for buying me spikes and trainers and loving me … even though she's strict sometimes, it all helps in the end.  I also appreciate my sister for giving me competition at league meets, and for being there on the relay with me.  I think that it's really cool having a sister at the same level as you and breaking a record together (sprint medley relay), with our names next to each other.

At meets, people know me and they congratulate me and support me and that's the coolest thing.  I'm just sad the season’s over, but I hope to do great things outdoor.  People don't believe me when I say I'm a sophomore.  They tell me I run effortlessly and all this good stuff … and that's so cool hearing it because I've been working since 7th grade to do this – and I did – and people notice what I've worked on. 

My 800s have gone from a 2:47 to a 2:06 and I'm breaking national records … like, wow this is great, I'm appreciative of everything.  I'm so hyped, like I did all this that I never thought I could do.  I'll keep working hard because this feeling is great, being a part of this blog is great and really cool, a d people across the nation reading these is really cool.

It's all been fun (I say that a lot).  I hope I made my mark this season – or at least made my name known a little bit more than before the season began.  I started off with a 3:06 this season in the 1000 and got down to a 2:47, which is crazy.  I've said “I” a lot, but it wasn't all me – my team is so, so supportive and fun and we just enjoy every moment together, my SMR teammates and I.

We push each other and only uplift each other, with positive critiques.  We do our nails the same color and bond over Wii games … and I love them and all this so much.  But there’s outdoor and I hope do it all again and I hope I stay humble going into the season. The expectations are already high for myself, so I'm hoping for more PRs and another chance to compete at the national and state level.  I hope for new competition and exciting races and fun memories this outdoor season.  Thanks for reading these blogs – if you have!