Sofia Giannini
Hinsdale
How did you get into cross country?
My friends were doing it freshman year, and it was one of the only sports that was available during COVID. I ended up really loving it, so I stuck with it.
How have you evolved as an runner since then?
I've definitely become more interested in the sport and more invested in the team. It's become a bigger aspect of my life, and the more I run, the more I enjoy it.
What are your goals for this season?
I definitely want to have a memorable senior year, and I'm hoping to see how much I can improve and make an impact on team and just go through it with a positive mindset.
How do you prepare for a meet?
I definitely try to get enough sleep and eat something before the race that's going to give me fuel.
How would your teammates describe you?
I would hope as kind and as a leader, and definitely through the years as being able to stick with my teammates.
What has Red Devil cross country meant to you?
Being on the team has shaped me so much, and my best memories have been because of cross country.
Will you run in college?
I hope to join an intramural club. I'll always keep running on my own.
What else are involved in at Central?
I'm also part of BPA (Business Professionals of America) and I'm a peer mentor. I like being able to work with the younger kids and help them navigate school.
What's your advice to this year's freshman class?
To put themselves out there and to try something new because you never know where it could take you.
Why does coach Mark McCabe like having Giannini on the squad?
Sofia has been a key member of our team for the past four years. She is a shining example of a junior varsity athlete who contributes as much as anyone to the successes of our program. She's a senior captain who takes initiative, is unfailingly helpful, inclusive and encouraging to each and every one of her teammates. She and her parents have been tireless supporters of our programs and will be missed when she moves on to college next year.
- profile by Ken Knutson, photo by Jim Slonoff
