Senior Dawn McIntyre walks up slowly to her mark on the runway. She jumps up and down with adrenaline moving through her. She takes a deep breath and throws her arms back getting ready to sprint down the runway into the long jump pit. 

McIntyre is in her senior year of high school. She has been a part of the track program all four years of her high school career. McIntyre believes the best part of track is coming together as a team to be successful. 

“I love how individual track is, but yet you’re a team,” McIntyre said. “You are competing individually, but what you do affects the team, so you come together at the end.”

McIntyre participates in the long jump, high jump, open 200 meter dash, and 4×100 meter relay. Sophomore Izzi Cobb thinks that running events with Dawn is a lot of fun. 

“Running with Dawn is always so much fun because she always pushes you to be a better teammate and a better player,” Izzi said. “She always pushes you to your limits and tells you to keep going even when it gets hard.” 

McIntyre plans on continuing her track career at Park University for long jump, but she does enjoy running with her teammates in relays. Sophomore Allison Shipp believes McIntyre is a teammate that people can look up to. 

“She is such a big leader and role model for us and the younger girls,” Shipp said. “She has shown me how to become a better leader and how to communicate better with my teammates. 

McIntyre also participated in the high school softball team for all four years of her high school career. She also completed clinicals and is now working with a CNA. Along with long jump, she plans on studying nursing at Park. McIntyre believes that young athletes should just have fun when playing sports.

“Don’t stress about things,” Dawn said. “Yes you want to win, but your main priority is to just have fun. The end of your playing career is always closer than you think.” 

McIntyre sprints down the runway and when she reaches her take off point her hands go in the air. She jumps out as far as she can and lands in the sand completing her first attempt for the day.