Josie LeClair ‘25 has been on the City High Girls track team for 4 years and has been selected to be one of the Varsity Girls Captains during her senior season. She has been a key member of the team, running in different events whenever she is needed. LeClair brings lots of expertise to the team, as she is one of 12 seniors running track this year.
LeClair is a multi-sport athlete here at City High, where she has participated in cross country and track for all 4 years, and joined the dance team her senior year. Because of this level of experience participating in many activities, in and outside of school, LeClair understands the mental and physical challenges that come with being a female athlete. She has learned over time how she best deals with them.
“Practices are very long [so] I like to spend some time before my races and sometimes practice, just thinking about my race and how I want to perform.” LeClair says. The senior also tends to take time for herself before her events to “visualize the race” and think about how she wants her race to go.
LeClair has had to step into a large leadership role this season, and as a captain she wants to try to encourage her teammates and “support them in anything they need.”
Due to being a part of City High track for so long, LeClair understands the pressure some underclassmen may feel on the track, and also recognizes that upperclassmen may seem intimidating at first.
“I know I was scared to talk to the seniors so I think that it’s good that we have some younger captains this year, it’s nice to just have a role model of someone [that may be] your same age, especially so you have somebody that you [may] feel connected to and not as scared to talk to. I also just think about how I was once in the underclassmen shoes, and how hard it was to be a varsity athlete during that time.” LeClair said. She also added that she strives to “encourage them to keep going with the sport, even when it gets hard, and lean on your teammates that are around you.”
That support is what LeClair believes brings everyone on the team together. “I would say the support that we give each other on the team really motivates you when it comes time for the race, and just seeing your teammates pushing you to be your best, even when it’s a 400, it makes you better. Being a team that supports each other is really what makes us succeed.”
LeClair currently leads the team in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:11:62, and is the 4th fastest on the team for the 400m dash with a time of 1:05:30.
To LeClair, being an Unbreakable Female Athlete means that “you’re a strong worker, supporting your teammates, and supporting women athletes, in whatever sport it may be.”
