By Chris Cox

Holdenville High School senior Laynee Phillips likes to run, competing in both cross country and track for the Wolverines. While both involve running, they are two completely different sports. Cross country involves longer distances, running on different terrains and battling some other elements. Track is about shorter distances, sprints, and paved lanes to run in. The differences, Phillips explains, also include the mindset she takes.

“For cross country, the mindset, for me, is to pass one person at time and build up that speed,” Phillips says. “For track, you have to go full all the way. There’s no passing one person at a time. You have to go for it. You can’t stop and you can’t slow down.”

During track season Phillips doesn’t have any time to slow down as she competes in the 4×100 and 4×200 meter relays, the long jump, and the high jump. 

Not only is Phillips a senior on the Holdenville track team but she is also the daughter of one of the assistant coaches. Her mother, Leslie, was an accomplished athlete in high school, winning a state championship in track while she was at Holdenville. 

While she never felt obligated to run, Laynee wanted to help her mom and the other track and cross country out when they were struggling to get athletes.

“I started my freshman year and I felt like I needed to do it for her since we didn’t have many people on our track team,” she says. “She needed more people on the team and I felt like I could help out and then I just fell in love with it. It became one of my favorite things to do.”

Outside of track and cross country, Phillips is a cheerleader at Holdenville and is a part of Key Club. Following her graduation this month she plans on going to college to study criminal justice.