Beneath the sweltering heat, a team of athletes all dressed in green and white dot the track, their spikes thudding against the lanes as coaches call out times. When her teammates stretch and regroup between drills at the midpoint of track practice, senior Sophia Ou hops from group to group. She checks in with the underclassmen, offering quick tips on form and encouragement for their long jumps. It’s a small moment, but it reflects much of her high school journey — one built on perseverance and collaboration, not just chasing personal records.

For Sophia, learning how to persevere started early in her track-and-field days. As a frosh and sophomore, she often found herself just shy of qualifying for the next level of competition. Those close calls, though discouraging at first, became some of her most eye-opening experiences as an athlete.

“I lost by an inch, basically — two years in a row I was this close to making regionals,” Sophia said. “That was super devastating because I knew I could do better, but at the same time it really taught me perseverance. The number one thing is you need to keep believing in yourself. It’s really cheesy, but if you work at something and you stick with it, you will definitely get better.”

Sophia’s ability to persevere soon became one of her defining qualities. She turned each near miss into motivation, learning from her mistakes and ultimately moving forward. Not only did she push herself to improve her own jump lengths, but she also aspired to uplift and mentor her teammates.

“What keeps me motivated is the growth that I see,” Sophia says. “Not only do I see my own growth, but I can also pass my knowledge on to other people and watch them grow. I like trying to teach my underclassmen, my little mentees for track and field, to watch them grow and learn skills like how to run the club and how to compete. I want to be remembered as a mentor and make a positive impact on them.”

Sophia quickly realized that track could be more about just her own performance. She began paying attention to how her actions affected the team and noticed the ways she could support younger athletes who were still finding their footing.

Junior Alice Luo met Sophia through track and witnessed her efforts firsthand. During her time on the team, Alice recounts Sophia’s impact on the team’s bonding and how she helped new members become more comfortable with the team.

“There’s a big difference between when Sophia is at practice and when she’s not at practice,” Alice said. “When we have new people on the team, like frosh and the other new people who join track, Sophia approaches them and includes them — she’s very good at bringing them into our circle and socializing.”

Fellow track athlete senior Emily Bryan first met Sophia at the beginning of frosh year. Over the seasons, Emily watched Sophia approach every practice with determination and an unwavering commitment to improvement.

“Her perseverance really shows through track because she’s so dedicated,” Emily said. “Even when she has a bad jump, she literally picks herself up, dusts herself off and just goes back. “She’s obviously disappointed if she doesn’t win, but she’s never discouraged or distraught. It’s easy to get discouraged, but she’s always willing to push herself.”

Though track makes up a huge part of her activities at Harker, Sophia’s legacy isn’t limited to athletics. Both in and outside of track, she consistently stepped outside her comfort zone, which allowed her to learn the value of teamwork.

“All of my activities have made me more passionate about collaboration,” Sophia said. “Before, I didn’t really like working in teams, but then I found working in a team to be really valuable because you can hear a lot of opinions and it was more rewarding. I made a lot of friends from DECA, Model UN and track and field, and I met a lot of different people that I wouldn’t have met unless I’d done that specific lineup of activities.”

Off the track, Sophia pursues economics research, guided by her adviser and economics teacher Dean Lizardo. The same persistence she developed as an athlete proves just as valuable in economics, where scattered data sets and unexpected roadblocks demand both patience and attention to detail.

“Perseverance is weeding through the data and looking at countless data sets and just trying to find that little golden nugget that’s allowing me to answer my question,” Lizardo said. “Sophia’s knee-deep in that right now, but she’s got a good head on her shoulders and she will find a solution to that problem.”

Sophia initially faced a multitude of obstacles and learning experiences, from the inches that first kept her from regionals to the late afternoons she spent coaching younger jumpers. However, each experience strengthened her resolve and the collaboration she embraced. As she prepares for the next stage of her journey, her philosophy clearly reflects not just who she has been, but the values she hopes to leave behind for others.

“You have to push yourself into unfamiliar territory,” Sophia said. “Trying something new will help you gain perseverance and a willingness to try and fail. Setting a goal really helps, as you give yourself something to aim for.”