Zoe Fyne-Okorie positions herself at the starting blocks. Her focus shifts downwards as she stares down at the lines of the track. She remembers that the only competitors that she has to face are herself and time, as she aims to break a personal record. Shaking all of those thoughts aside, Fyne-Okorie gets into position and waits for the gunshot signaling the start of the race. The gun fires and she races off the blocks. 

Kicking off her first high school track season, freshman Zoe Fyne-Okorie has learned many valuable lessons from being on the team, as well as becoming an important part of the track community. Balancing between school and track, being a student athlete has taught Fyne-Okorie how to manage her time better. “Sometimes it’s not easy being a student athlete when you have a bunch of assignments but you also have to go to practice several days a week,” Fyne-Okorie said. “I learned balance and time management.”

Despite her strong start to her high school career, this is not the first time Fyne-Okorie has been running track. She came into high school with little track experience, but she’s successfully adapted to the track routine over the past winter season — something her coaches have noted. “[Zoe] worked hard, she refined her craft and paid attention to the small things,” head sprints coach Bradley Burzumato said. 

For the upcoming spring season, Fyne-Okorie strives to find the perfect balance between both of her worlds. “I want to stay more focused on school, but I want to have an equal balance between track and school,” Fyne-Okorie said. She also wants to break some of her personal records and become more disciplined with her craft. “I want to work harder during practices and stay more focused so that I can do better during meets,” Fyne-Okorie said. 

Fyne-Okorie is a prime example of someone who works hard for what she loves. She’s worked consistently over the winter season to refine her skills while also having fun. “She has a very resilient mindset,” Burzumato said. “She’s willing to be challenged and pushed hard.” Even when she’s face to face with a problem, Fyne-Okorie will never give up, and will find ways to overcome tough challenges. 

Even when she doesn’t perform her best, Fyne-Okorie has learned to encourage herself and use that experience to improve for future meets. “If I have a bad performance, I don’t ponder on the bad performance too much and [use it] to just get better,” Fyne-Okorie said. Her efforts definitely paid off this winter season, as her 4×200 relay team competed at the state championships at Liberty University, placing ninth in the state. “It felt extremely amazing to qualify for states,” Fyne-Okorie said. “The moment that I realized that we did qualify for states, I could let out a huge breath, and a weight was lifted off of my shoulders.”

Fyne-Okorie also loves the encouraging atmosphere of the track and field community. “Most of the time, my favorite part of track and field is not even running,” Fyne-Okorie said. “It’s being around the community of people that I run with, because they make it a fun experience.” Fyne-Okorie also loves the adrenaline rush that comes along with winning and performing well in meets. “My favorite parts of track and field are probably winning and being around my teammates,” Fyne-Okorie said. 

Fyne-Okorie’s teammates and coaches have also noticed her commitment and love for track, as well as her optimistic nature. “She’s really hard working and she’s always really positive,” freshman Yana Gogia said. “She’s always cheering people on and [she] makes everything more lighthearted.” 

Fyne-Okorie is known for making everyone laugh and staying optimistic no matter what the situation is. “She’ll pick you up when you feel sad,” freshman Kyra Young said. Her teammates and coaches have noticed the direct effect of her positive nature at practice and at meets. “She always has a great attitude, and when she comes into practice, she always has a smile [on her face],” Burzumato said. “She’s always excited to come in and get better.” 

Over the season, Fyne-Okorie has become a leader and vital member in the track and field program. She leads by example, and she never fails to put a smile on her face every time she steps onto the track. “Zoe is a great teammate,” Burzumato said. “She always has that positive attitude that she comes into practice with.” Fyne-Okorie is also known for always doing the right thing and being a dependable teammate, while also spending extra time to take up the commitment of being on the 4×200 relay team. “She came in and worked hard, and she ended up becoming a leader in that group,” Burzumato said. “I’m very proud of her for that.” Her coaches and teammates can’t wait to see what she accomplishes as she continues her high school track career.