I, Dahani Woodward, was given the opportunity to interview Rayshelle Brown, a sophomore here at Smithtown High School East. Brown is a member of both the winter track and spring track teams. 

Brown broke the record for the 55-meter hurdles, “It took a while to sink in when I broke the record”. For every meet, Brown sticks to the same routine: stretching, running, and trying not to get too comfortable, “I try not to sit down and relax too much”. Her mentality is impressive, especially considering her near-constant races throughout the day. She explained how one of the best mentalities to have when it comes to any sport is to never be satisfied. Overconfidence kills performance. 

Brown started track when she was in 8th grade. In her freshman year here at East, she was able to place 5th at the State Qualifier. This wouldn’t have been possible without her coaches’ motivation. Brown accepts their help and realizes that their best interest lies with the athlete’s success. Another thing that motivates Brown is the support of her parents; her grandmother, who attends the meets, keeps her motivated and is a role model for her. Her father also inspired her to start running years ago. 

Brown would like to thank her coaches, teammates, and even family for supporting her throughout her high school track experience and it’s exciting to see what she will bring to the table in the future.