High School Sports Awards: New Jersey cross country phenom Angelina Perez makes impact on, off the course
Lakeland Regional High School (NJ) cross country dynamo Angelina Perez capped a dazzling senior season by capturing the 2021 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Meet of Champions gold medal. And she came within less than five seconds of earning top honors at the Eastbay National championships in San Diego in December.
The University of Florida-bound Perez, is also a nominee for All-Paste BN HSSA Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. Hers is a journey that began on the soccer field, but has transitioned to an admittedly life-altering path via running.
"I did spring track my freshman year and that was when I met some of the cross country girls and (Lakeland Regional High School Girls Cross Country) Coach (Damiano) Conforti," she said. "I fell in love with it and stuck with it. I feel like this sport changed me in the best way possible and gave me opportunities I never would have had. It helped me to grow confidence-wise and just overall, as a person."
Conforti commended Perez and her teammates for their due diligence.
"These kids give their heart and soul to this sport," he said. "And it's not guaranteed they're going to have success. We really believe good things happen to good people. Coming to practice smiling and being happy is hard to do when you're telling them they have to run 14 miles on a Saturday morning. These kids have really bought into this program and I know they'll run through a wall if I asked them to do it. It's been very rewarding for everyone involved."
Perez acknowledged cross country can at times be mentally and physically draining. She also echoed Conforti's sentiment regarding the gratifying element.
"Despite maybe not coming in first place in every race, you still have a chance to get a better time than you had before," she said. "Pushing yourself harder in practices and workouts, knowing you're going to see improvements throughout your races. I feel that is what is so cool about just running in general. It's not always about needing to beat another person or coming in first place. A lot of it is just wanting to see individual improvement."
As her time at Lakeland Regional High School winds to a close, Perez encourages underclassmen to embrace thorough preparation as a means of eliminating any element of doubt when entering a race. While she has definitely made her presence felt on the course, Perez has become equally adept at selflessly impacting the lives of others in another way.
"I was diagnosed with anorexia when I was in seventh grade," she said. "I was doing well for a while and I feel like running helped save me. It helped me learn to make sure I was eating enough to run and be strong enough to compete. Over COVID I had a pretty big step back. It was during that time I where I was like I wanted to share my story with other runners."
Perez proceeded to initiate an Instagram account - @_runningonplants_
"I created the account as a way to reach out to other runners and people in general who may be struggling with the same thing I was - knowing they weren't alone," Perez, who plans to enter the sports medicine field, said. "That was my goal through the account - help others to succeed, be the best version of themselves, make sure they are eating enough and just taking care of their physical and mental health. It's a really great feeling knowing I'm able to help others through my experiences."
Conforti said perseverance is a prime attribute Perez possesses.
"What she had to go through as a young kid, battling an eating disorder and coming out publicly and speaking about that - it's just amazing," he said. "Battling through all of those things has made her such a better person. And it's amazing to see it carry over to the other girls. It's going to be tough losing her, because she's such a wonderful person. The sport is great, but this is so much larger than the sport."
Up next for Perez is the continued pursuit of scholastic and athletic achievement in Gainesville, Florida, at the University of Florida.
"The environment of the school was just so upbeat and positive," she said with regard to the selection. "I could tell how close everyone was. It was like one of the best weekend's ever, with the football game, getting a chance to run with the girls on the team and meeting the coaches. I just loved everything about it. I felt like I would be able to thrive as a runner and student."