Senior Chrislande Joseph running her event at the meet. Photo by Piero Pocobene
Chrislande Joseph decided to try out for the girls indoor track team her sophomore year, lacking any idea of the runner she would grow to be three years later. Joseph went on to run for both the indoor and outdoor season, and her senior year, she decided to join the cross country team as well.
Not knowing the speed and determination she had in herself, Joseph’s abilities were a shock to her and everyone else. The 600 meter race is Joseph’s speciality for indoor and the 400 meter race is her main event in outdoor, although she is able to compete in several other events due to a combination of her speed and endurance.
Joseph has gone to states for the 4 by 400 meter relay twice during the indoor seasons, and has also competed in the same relay during the outdoor seasons as well as the 4 by 800 meter relay. Her opportunity to compete at these highly competitive meets, taught Joseph how essential both teamwork and communication are to achieving a common goal.
When asked to name one of her biggest influences throughout her time as a high school student, Joseph expressed that her coach David Londino easily fits that role. As well as “pushing [her] physically and mentally,” Londino has influenced Joseph with “the motivation [she has] always needed,” making her a better runner and person overall.
With only a few months left of her time at MHS, Joseph admits that she will miss “the environment and the positivity” of the school, one of her favorite things being that “there is always something for everyone to do.” Joseph has enjoyed being apart of a school where the faculty is “always willing to help [students] strive.”
As her abilities grew, so did her love for the sport and her teammates. Joseph is now juggling school work, track, and the very tedious and numerous college preparations. Along with the hopes that she can continue running after high school, Joseph plans on going to college to major in human resources and become a social worker.
