Lydia Stepanenko is a senior at WMC, and due to her outstanding achievements thus far in the track season, Stepanenko has been nominated for Central’s Athlete of the Month!

Stepanenko has been running track for six years and competes in both winter and spring track for Central. She is a sprinter and competes in almost all of the sprinting races that showcase her speed. In total, she has been competing for three years in winter track, three years spring track, and she has claimed the top seven times in all of the events that she runs in!

Stepanenko’s best achievement while running at WMC is getting to groups all four years, which is state level. Stepanenko’s favorite part of running track is at the end of the race and that feeling of accomplishment she feels running through the finish line.

The best advice that Stepanenko has ever received form a coach was during winter track when Coach Johnson told her, “Run fast, guys notice fast girls.” She says that this was both funny and very true, and it helps her push through her races.

Regarding team traditions, Stepanenko says, “I don’t think we have team traditions, but we have everybody lined up at the four corners for the longer races so everyone is being cheered on at each point in the race. If you’re hitting a really hard turn, you still have your entire team cheering for you.” She adds that the team being there really helps her push through at her toughest moments.

Stepanenko’s advice that she would give her freshman self is “Remember that it’s only you and how and where you put your mind into it to get your goals”. These are her favorite words to live by because it helps her to remember that the mental part of sports is just as important as the athletic side.

Stepanenko says that she will be continuing her athletic career at the University of Massachusetts. UMass is a Division One university, and she is so excited to be going there. Congratulations Lydia!