Nathan Messina, senior captain, has been a dedicated member of the Woodland Indoor Track and Field Team since his sophomore year. As captain, Messina strives to be a strong leader and role model for his teammates. 

In the past, Messina played for the Woodland Boys Soccer Team but during his junior year, he started to primarily focus on track and field. 

“Track and field became ‘my’ sport last year because it was my most successful season and I had the most fun,” said Messina. “The team is amazing and the atmosphere is something different.” 

Becoming a captain has always been a goal for Messina. Over the years, he has displayed his leadership skills by teaching underclassmen and working hard. 

“I am so honored that I earned the captain title,” said Messina. “I feel like I have shown the coaches and my teammates the type of leader I am and I am glad that all my hard work has paid off.” 

As captain, Messina needs to set a positive example so he can teach his younger teammates what a strong and kind leader looks like. 

“I always need to show up to practice with a positive attitude,” said Messina. “I also need to check in on my teammates to make sure everyone is doing okay.” 

Along with being an athlete, Messina is a student. Being a captain means setting a good example for students inside and outside the classroom. Messina must find a balance between school and athletics so he can show his teammates the importance of your education. 

“I get home from practice and I get my work done, it’s as easy as that,” said Messina. 

Messina feels confident in the team this season and their capabilities. 

“We have had a lot of NVL qualifiers this season and some state qualifiers,” said Messina. “Overall I am very proud of the team.”

For the remainder of the season, Messina hopes that the team can improve their marks and times. He wants to see more people qualify for states and higher seeds in the NVL championship meet. 

“The team just needs to stay strong and keep pushing,” said Messina. “We have been working hard and I know that we will continue getting better as a team if we keep up the hard work.”