Mia Cushing didn’t always light up the track. Although she has been dedicated to the sport for quite a few years, some might be surprised that her sprint to the stardom started with an ephiphany.
“I actually played soccer for a long time,” Cushing said. “And then I realized I’m actually pretty fast, which is when I decided to try this track thing.”
Now a sophomore, Cushing said she has been running track for about six years and focuses on the 100 and 200 sprints. It takes years of hard work to get to where Cushing is today. These are obstacles can be difficult to overcome when trying to be the best one on the track, but Cushing said she finds ways to push through.
“Little mind blocks are just something that you have to have enough grit to tell yourself that it’s not going to stop you from your main goal,” Cushing said. “If you don’t feel the pressure then that means that you are not good enough yet to experience that level of a sport.”
This sophomore fits in well with the varsity track life and is constantly stunning her supporters.
Cushing said she always has the goal of bettering her PR (personal record) and she is still beating herself, making it a challenge for others to try and be above her.
“My PR was the state record which was an 11.92,” Cushing said. “It was a very thrilling experience, I didn’t know I even broke the record until after the race, but it was really fun and something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.”
Cushing beat the 11.94 time set in 1999 by Mitchell’s Katy Jay. The Class A state record, 11.64, was set in 2022 by Lincoln High’s Dajaz Defrand. With these accomplishments, it is very important to have something that keeps you strong throughout your sport, and Cushing said she has a growth mindset that she says is her biggest inspiration.
“Just knowing that I am not the fastest girl,” Cushing said. “There’s always going to be more to catch up with.”
It is almost impossible to be able to achieve all these goals and mindsets by yourself and Cushing said she is lucky to have coaches that strongly impact her.
“They are there for every single loss and every win,” Cushing said. “They push you to your best ability and your top-tier times, for celebrating, but also to grow after a loss.”
Now that the season is near its peak, Cushing said she has many memories to remember and to look back on for her next couple years of high school track.
“I love how it is really special because the seniors and juniors are all very talented,” Cushing said. “And I feel like we have a really good group of people this year and getting to grow in those relationships and getting to run with them is a privilege.”
Relationships can be a big takeaway from a sport, but because Cushing is a sophomore among a big group of upperclassmen, Cushing said she’s already been thinking about her future in the sport.
“My goal is definitely to go to a D-1 school and continue to run and see where it takes me from there, but to get where I want to be I need to keep a good balance between school and my sport,” Cushing said. “I was taught that there is always going to be a choice and a sacrifice, but to continue with good grades, I need to remember how I am a student athlete, not an athlete student.”
