As the 2025 girls track and field season nears an end, senior athletes are looking back at their personal growth and achievements during their high school journey.
According to senior Destini Smith, all her intense workout plans are paying off.
“Last year I was jumping 41’11. My new mark is 43’2,” Smith said.
Smith has broken multiple records during her time competing at Souderton, including the All-Time Triple Jump Record in Pennsylvania.
“I have just been training nonstop,” Smith said. “It was bound to happen.”
Smith will be attending Kansas State University for Division I track.
Senior Isiyah McFadden believes that her track experience has taught her many valuable life lessons.
Hurdles, specifically, have taught McFadden that “the more you fall, the quicker you can get back up.”
McFadden believes that her biggest track achievements are being the first female hurdler to qualify for the Nike Indoor Nationals and breaking the 11-year shuttle relay record.
“When I constantly get better, it makes me want to work harder,” McFadden said.
McFadden will be attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania for Division II track.
Creating strong relationships with teammates is something that senior Reese Richardson feels is one of her favorite parts about track. “Our team has gotten a lot closer, and we have connected more than the previous years,” Richardson said.
As well as connecting with teammates, there have also been various athletic standouts. “We have the most district qualifiers I have ever seen this year,” senior Janae Pettaway said.
Pettaway’s favorite memory of her senior season is running at the Penn Relays in high school for the last time.
“We unexpectedly placed 12th out of 90 teams,” Pettaway said.
Pettaway feels that track has taught her discipline, time management, accountability and leadership, all of which Pettaway feels are important life lessons that she will carry throughout her future.
Pettaway will be attending Temple University for Division I track.
For senior Elizabeth James, she feels that the mental aspect of sports is just as hard as the physical. “When I was little, I really suffered with getting in my head a lot,” James said, “but now that I am letting stuff go, I see a big difference in my performance and who I am as an athlete.”
James will be attending Elizabethtown College for Division III track.