As a cross country runner, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of nerves and adrenaline rushing through the body standing on the starting line waiting to hear the gun go off. For senior Madi Sisson, this has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

“My mom and dad would drag me to 5k’s with them since I was around eight. I started running for real when I was in middle school and actually started liking it in high school. My freshman year I thought I was going to do soccer, but I ended up really loving the cross country team,” Sisson said.

Working her way up from a stress fracture freshman year, Sisson earned her spot on the varsity team sophomore year. Since then she has contributed to the team in many ways, such as being in the top five, which helps with scoring for the team at meets, and staying consistent within her running.

Regardless of the fact that the girls are at the tail end of their season, Sisson still has some aspiring future goals in mind.

“I want to try and PR within the state series and continue to score there to help really secure my spot in the top 5 at state,” Sisson said.

But even after this cross country season, Sisson won’t stop pursuing her dream. She has made the decision to continue running in college due to being recruited by a handful of schools who want her.

“There’s two specific colleges I have in mind. I have already visited four, but the two I really like are Salisbury University in Maryland and Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. They both have really great running programs, but I’m not really sure which one yet,” Sisson said.

Sisson reflects on how she could have not reached this point in her journey alone.

“My parents are really big supporters of mine, they do a good job at being both involved and not too involved at the same time. They are always there for support, yet leave the dedication part up to me,” Sisson said.

Girls cross country coach Douglas Plunkett comments on his hopes for Sisson and her future.

“I see big things for her and our team, considering she plays a role both individually and collectively, going to state I hope she is a big part of that as well,” Plunkett said.

Not only does Sisson play a part in contributing to the team’s success, but her role as captain goes beyond her physical impact.

Senior and teammate Angie Hernandez gives insight on what it is like to have someone like Madi in her corner.

“Madi brings very positive energy to the team. She knows how to get people going and makes everyone want to be there. She motivates the girls to do their best as well and is just an amazing person to be around,” Hernandez said.

After coming off of their victory as conference champions for 23 years in a row, Sisson as well as the rest of the varsity team, are going to be spiked up next on Oct. 23 at their regional meet.