Andrew Le has been a part of the track and field team for 5-years. After doing relays in middle school PE, he realized that he loved running and has been running ever since. Being an athlete has taught him so much about time management and helped make him a better student.

Andrew enjoys being a part of our track and field team because he loves hanging out and bonding with his teammates. This team makes him feel like he is part of the family as they give him their love and support to have the motivation to run. Practice makes perfect, but sometimes practices can be long. To make practice fun, the team always tries to not think about how hard the workout really is or how bad the pain is so they find something to talk about and make jokes and laugh until their stomachs hurt! One of the things that Andrew will miss most is the fun team dinners on the field, sitting in lawn chairs, eating pasta, playing games and listening to music!

Andrew is blessed with a great support system. Coach Russel has been such an important part of Andrew’s journey because he has always pushed him beyond his limits even when he feels like giving up and makes sure he finishes strong. He is thankful for Coach Russell’s constant positive attitude and encouraging him to work harder and to be optimistic. Andrew gets his inspiration from his mom because she always supports him to do his best and pushes him to become a better athlete. Because of his great support system, Andrew will continue his running career at Birmingham Southern College.

We will miss Andrew’s bright light and the way he brings people together. Don’t ever forget “Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat.”

Mohammed Shahrouj has been on the track and field team for only 2-years. He decided to become part of the team because he likes running and pushing himself past comfort. Being an athlete has taught him how to focus on his goals and that hard work helps you achieve them.

Mo is thankful that Coach Russell has been a great coach and has allowed the captains to lead and he always pushes them to give 110%. His co-captain, Andrew, has inspired him because he has grown so much as a leader. When Mo needs extra motivation, he recites one of his favorite lines, “It’s about drive. It’s about power. We stay hungry. We devour. We put in the work and we put in the hours.”

After high school, Mo will run for Spring Hill College. Go Badgers!

Mohammed, you have left a lot of footprints at St. Luke’s and will always be a Wildcat!

Jaylon Womack just joined the Track & Field Team this year & they were so excited to have him (and his speed!) He decided to join the team to have the opportunity to become faster, the motivating workouts and the competitiveness (oh…and hot yoga!) Athletics have taught him time management.

To make those early morning 5:00 a.m. hill runs more enjoyable, Jaylon and his teammates make random noises to laugh.

Jaylon really appreciates Coach Russell’s commitment to helping him achieve his goals of beating his own times. Being fast is something he will always need for any sport in the future.

We hope you loved being on the team as much as they loved having you! You will do great things!

Jake Keesee has been on the Track and Field team for 5-years as a thrower. He started this sport as a fun pastime between football season and then he grew to love it. He will always fondly remember the fun road trips and attending State. He says the best things about being on the T&F team is that it’s always a fun environment, meets are extremely competitive and your success is determined by your own actions. Jake has really been inspired by his time with Mary Alice because she was a thrower in college and he has learned a lot from her.

Track and Field has opened a door to college and given Jake a great opportunity. Jake plans to continue his career on the Track and Field Team at Mississippi College next year!

Andrew Smith has been on the Track and Field Team for 3-years. He decided to join the team because it isn’t as intense as other sports (and Jake convinced him!). Andrew enjoys being on the team because throwers don’t have to run and it’s very laid back compared to other sports. One of his favorite memories was the State meet last year when he got to compete with friends and watch them become some of the best throwers in the State. He enjoys competition days because the people are all still very nice even when they are competing against each other.

Mary Alice has inspired Andrew because she has helped him focus on the fundamentals of his throws. Also, Andrew is proud of his friends that have taken the time to improve their throwing skills in order to throw at the next level. And Andrew’s favorite quote, “Would you mind?” by Gabor Mate.

We wish Andrew the BEST as he continues his education as a Tiger at Auburn University, but he will always be a Wildcat to us!