A Revere High School (RHS) student-athlete competed in the men’s cross country OHSAA state championship, placing among some of the top runners in Ohio.
Will Wells is a junior at RHS who runs cross country, track, and plays basketball. This is his third cross-country season, and he made it to the State Meet placing 26 out of 178 with a time of 15:35.39 in a 5km race. Wells is proud of his performance.
“It was great. I prepared all season. Last year, my season did not end up the way I wanted to. I didn’t make it to States last year, so this year was really big for me. It was a big step for me to prove that I’m one of the best,” Wells said.
Before races Wells has a routine to help him focus on running and placing. Getting into the right mindset helps him be the best runner possible.
“Before races, I try to keep my mind distracted and listen to music to stay relaxed. I just stay in a zone and stay focused on the race. I’m just as prepared, if not more prepared than any other kid at that race,” Wells said.
The last-minute preparations are just as important as the day-to-day training. Cross country is physically demanding and filled with lots of problems that runners have to face. Wells tackles these challenges in a few ways.
“After practice, I usually go to [Cryotherapy] for recovery. Also, with running it is really important to get sleep, so I have to go to bed early so I can stay rested,” Wells said.
Cryotherapy is the exposure to extremely cold temperatures that can be used to help speed up recovery time after exercise. In addition to physical challenges, cross country takes dedication to find a balance between sports and education as a student-athlete.
“It was really hard my freshman year to balance all that stuff, but over time it’s gotten easier. Schoolwork is a priority for me all the time,” Wells said.
Ralph Davis is the assistant coach for cross country and the distance coach for track. He has been coaching at Revere for about five years and has known Wells since he was in ninth grade. During his time here he has seen Wells grow and excel as an athlete.
“He’s improved every year in cross country and track. He’s gotten stronger physically and mentally,” Davis said.
Billy D’Amico is a teacher and coach at RHS. He coaches football and track and has known Wells for five years. He has seen Wells perform in the classroom and on the track. Wells uses the competitive aspect of sports to make himself better.
“Will is a very nice and polite person. He’s always respectful to others, and he always encourages his teammates. He knows that competition breeds success. He’s always got to be challenging someone or something to help motivate him to get better in whatever aspect of life it is,” D’Amico said.
In addition to Wells’ hard work, he has big plans for the future that he is dedicated to accomplishing.
“I’d love to beat the 5K record and try to get a time under 15 minutes,” Wells said.
Wells plans to keep running cross country, chasing a state title in his senior season.
