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04/22/2021 12:00 AMElizabeth Gallagher didn’t know what the sport of track and field entailed while she was growing up. Elizabeth signed up to compete in gymnastics as a 12 year-old, but then had a realization with her coach that prompted her to try out track when she got to Westbrook High School.
“The first time I heard of track was when I was 12 years old in gymnastics,” says Elizabeth. “We were working on the vault and, after I ran down the runway, my coach looked at me and said, ‘Run track when you get to high school.’ I looked at her and I said, ‘OK.’”
Now, Elizabeth is a senior captain in the Westbrook girls’ track program. Elizabeth competes in events ranging from the 55-meter dash to the 400-meter run as a member of Westbrook’s indoor and outdoor squads. During her four years with the Knights, Elizabeth and her teammates have evolved into a family.
“Our team is like a family. Even though track is more commonly known as an individual sport, I would not be where I am today without the encouragement and constant positivity from my teammates,” Elizabeth says. “We have all come together to build each other up and to cheer for one another during our events. It has created such a positive environment that allows every single athlete on the team to strive for greatness.”
Elizabeth has seen plenty of success on the track—so much so that she earned a scholarship to compete at the Division I level for Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore. While Elizabeth has made many great memories at Westbrook, the most memorable have come when she’s been challenged both mentally and physically.
“It is not ordinary for someone to say that their favorite moment was in the face of adversity, but mine was,” says Elizabeth. “My sophomore year, I had the most traumatizing experience at Shorelines with late starts in the 55 meters to not being seeded in the 300 meters. After all the heartbreak and tears, the next year I came back even stronger.”
Elizabeth credits her teammate Delaney Belcourt for helping her get through the adversity. Elizabeth says that she never could have run a personal-best time in the 55 without the support of Belcourt, who’s currently a sophomore.
“In the 55 meters, the dial to my spikes broke seconds before my heat was on the track. In the middle of a complete panic attack, my block holder Delaney Belcourt told me to just breathe,” Elizabeth says. “Not only did I pull it together to run the race, I ran a personal record and made it to the Shoreline finals.”
Westbrook Head Coach Sheridan Bauman describes Elizabeth as the embodiment of what it means to be a successful track athlete. Bauman says that Elizabeth has shown great dedication to the sport the past four years and is constantly striving to better her times.
“Elizabeth fell in love with the sport and worked tirelessly to get better. She proves if you work hard and, more importantly, really love what you are doing, you can be successful, both in the sport and in life,” says Bauman. “Elizabeth inspires our team with her work ethic, passion, and impeccable technique. She also inspires me to keep learning to help her and her team be better every day. It is an absolute joy being her coach.”
Likewise, Elizabeth gives plenty of credit to Coach Bauman for playing such a big role in her progression as an athlete. Elizabeth appreciates how Bauman goes above and beyond to help her reach her goals.
“From the moment I first got to the high school and joined the indoor track team, Coach Bauman has inspired me. She works tirelessly to educate herself on the science behind the sprints and has helped me tremendously in mastering my block starts and sprint phases,” Elizabeth says. “I know that I would not be where I am today without her constant efforts to help me attain my goals. I will miss her so much next year. She has been the backbone of my successes.”
Elizabeth is currently participating in her final season of high school track with the Westbrook girls’ outdoor team. After seeing the 2020 season get canceled, Elizabeth feels excited about competing this spring and wants to make the most of her senior campaign.
“I want to take advantage of every opportunity this season. As we saw with the fall sports, you never know what might be your last practice or meet as a high school athlete,” says Elizabeth. “I will treasure every moment that I get with my teammates. My goal this season is to just run my best. I just want to enjoy my last season with my friends, run new personal records, but most importantly, have fun doing it. I love running track, and it has given me something back that I was deeply missing last year.”