Athlete Name: Jacob Banks
School: Oak Mountain High School
Most memorable meet: The Jesse Owens Classic was my first race I've ever done. It was totally muddy and I'll definitely never forget that.
Biggest competition: I started in JV in Cross Country, but my last race was the Top 12 race at Veterans Park and that was a really tough race.
Biggest Accomplishment: my goal in Cross Country was to break 20:00, and I eventually got 19:55.
What would I change? I wish I could've done XC and Track before this year. This was my first and only year to do it. But it was totally worth it.
Most difficult obstacle: the most difficult thing was just getting into a regular running/workout schedule since I had never done it before.
What will I miss the most? I'll miss everything about being on a team. I ran some before, but I really like running with the team.
Advice for younger athletes: Stay with XC/Track. You'll be glad you did. And don't be lazy.
Post-high school plans: I'm going into the Air Force as an Airborne Linguist, then I'm pursuing a Special Forces career of being a Pararescueman.
I would like to say thank you to: My coaches, Kyle Dudley and Scott Fuqua. They are very dedicated to the team and I really appreciate everything they do. Also to my friends on the team, it's been a great season.