With her last year at Grinnell looming, women’s cross country captain, Alosha Southern ’17, aims to continue enjoy every last moment being a student athlete. Abraham Golden ’20, writing for The S&B, interviewed Southern to talk about the legacy of the College ‘s women’s cross country team.
The Scarlet and Black: It’s your last year as a student and an athlete. How does that feel?
Alosha Southern: Sometimes I feel like it was just yesterday that I was a first year. It’s kind of unbelievable to me that this is my last year at Grinnell. But it’s exciting too, and I feel very excited to be one of the leaders on the cross country team.
The S&B: How’s the team looking so far?
AS: The team looks really good. We had a pretty impressive class of first years this year, they all look pretty good, so we’re excited to see them develop as the season goes on. I feel it’s very likely that a few of them are going to be our top scorers. We also have a number of second and third year returnees who really excelled during this past track season and through their summer training, and so we do expect really big performances from them, too. Last year, we graduated three of our top seven runners, but I don’t think that’s even a big concern because we have so many women who are ready to step up to the plate and take their place.
The S&B: Best moment while running?
AS: I’ve been running for a long time, and it’s hard to pick one moment. I would say one of the best moments at Grinnell was my first year when we won our conference by one point. It was a really emotional moment, and it was a special season because it was myfirst collegiate season.
The S&B: Any pre–meet rituals that you engage in?
AS: The women’s team has a LOT of special rituals we do. They include putting temporary tattoos all over your face/body (the sparkly flash tats are really fun), … and then we spray each other with glitter before the race.
The S&B: How do you balance the workload of being a student and a varsity athlete?
AS: It’s constantly a balancing act, and I don’t think I have perfected it by any means. You just have to take it one day at a time. I do sometimes feel like I’m a chicken running around with its head cut off, but I enjoy everything that I do, and I think that’s what’s important. That’s why I don’t feel like I’m burnt out.
The S&B: Favorite part of the sport?
AS: Getting a chance to be with all of the women on the team and spending time with them and laughing with them. They’re such a wonderful community, and I really do feel inspired by them every single day.
The S&B: What upcoming event should we be on the lookout for?
AS: Our only home meet of the season is the Les Duke meet, and that is on September 10. We usually get great support on campus, and it’s a fun way to spend the morning.
The S&B: Last thoughts/comments?
AS: Grinnell can be a stressful place, and try to find time for yourself and take a few minutes to think about why you’re doing all the things you’re doing. If you can’t figure out why you love it, maybe you should be doing something else.