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03/07/2018 11:00 PMLexi Ross loves to run, especially sprinting. Lexi typically showcased her speed on the softball field until she decided to join the girls’ indoor track team at Valley Regional for the recent winter season. Lexi, a freshman, tried out a number of different events and ultimately found her niche in the 55-meter dash and as a member of the 4x200 relay. She wound up finishing seventh in the 55 at the Shoreline Conference Championship and also helped the 4x2 qualify for the Class S State Championship. When the dust settled on the season, Lexi was selected as the Warriors’ Most Valuable Player.
“I always loved to run, so I thought that was a good choice,” Lexi says. “I tried a lot of events. I tried jumping at first. I gravitated toward the running events...The running aspect was just kind of what I wanted to do.”
Lexi found out that she had won Valley’s MVP Award when girls’ indoor track Head Coach Brian Drinkard made the announcement during the team’s end-of-season dinner. Lexi felt humbled to receive the award. When she did, she thought about how much she enjoyed being part of the Warriors and working alongside her teammates this year.
“We had a banquet, and I didn’t know until Mr. Drinkard announced it. I was honored and grateful,” Lexi says. “I was glad that I did track this year. It was a really good experience. All the upperclassmen were super helpful and taught me a lot throughout the season. They offered a lot of support and made it super fun. I’m just excited about next year and what’s to come with the team.”
It means a lot to Lexi to have been named Valley’s MVP, but she feels even more proud about what she and her fellow freshman relay mates—Audrey Lenda, Hanna Babek, and Leah Bargnesi—accomplished in the 4x200 this year. The quartet worked hard all season to qualify for states, and they made it happen by never settling for anything less than their best. Lexi ran the first leg of the relay, and she says it was a challenge to perfect the handoffs to her teammates.
“I think the biggest thing for me was making it to states with that 4x200 relay team. We tried all year to get into states. When we finally made it to states, that was one of the greatest achievements for me,” says Lexi, a Chester resident. “At first, since we’re all freshman, we were getting used to each other. We worked on handoffs every practice. It was super tough at first, but it got a lot better by the end of the season. I think we can even get it better next year and through to senior year.”
Coach Drinkard was impressed with the athletic ability that Lexi displayed in her first season on the team. He also notes the leadership skills that she brought to the squad as a freshman.
“She’s just a teammate through and through. She encouraged the other girls. She was an important part of our team...She’s a leader, definitely,” says Drinkard. “She’s motivates the other girls. It’s a natural ability. I don’t think she went out of her way to do it. It was just part of her personality.”
Lexi enjoyed her first season with Valley’s indoor track team, although her main sport is softball. Lexi, an outfielder, plays throughout the year with the Connecticut Charmers travel team, and she joined the track program to become faster and more agile on the diamond.
“I primarily play outfield, but I can play everywhere, honestly. You need a lot of speed and agility for the outfield, and that’s what I was working on in track,” Lexi says. “I play softball all year round. Softball really takes up my fall season, too. I play for the Connecticut Charmers. It’s a travel team. We do our tournaments in the summer, but we practice all year round.”
Lexi says that her softball background helped her when it came to exploding out of the starting blocks in the 55-meter dash. Lexi finds that running the 55 is a lot like booking out of the batter’s box or hustling after a fly ball.
“There are similarities between the 55 and how you run in softball. Like when you are in starting out of the blocks, you stay low on your first two steps and pick up speed as you’re running,” Lexi says. “You need to do the same thing in the outfield chasing down a ball. You have to start with your head down, then track the ball, and then go faster so you can catch the ball.”
As the spring season draws closer, Lexi is chomping at the bit to play for the Warriors’ softball squad. It’s going to be a new experience competing at the high-school level, but Lexi believes that everything will fall into place quite nicely.
“I’m super excited. I think we have a good team. The girls are nice,” says Lexi. “I’m excited to work with [Head Coach Ken Wilson] this year. I can’t wait to start the season and play for Valley.”