Athlete of the Week: Paulina Stachura

Sport: Track and Field

Year: Sophomore

Hometown: Addison

High School: Addison Trail

Lily Goodfellow: When did you start running?

Paulina Stachura: In junior high.

LG: What field events do you do and when did you start competing in them?

PS: I do high jump and long jump right now, and I used to do triple jump too. I started doing those in junior high.

LG: What goes into training for the big meets?

PS: Honestly, it’s the same training as for everything else. We practice five times a week. Every year is different. This year, the first day of the week we do speed work. Then we do two days of speed endurance. And in the middle of the week we have a recovery day. 

LG: What motivates you?

PS: Right now, my biggest motivation is to stay active and exercise.

LG: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

PS: Hopefully in a good place. I don’t think that far in the future, honestly. But, hopefully, I will have graduated by then from some kind of university and I will be getting on with my life somewhere. My parents and my teacher suggested that I should become a gym teacher, so right now that’s what I’m going for. But that’s not the end goal. 

LG: How do you think competing in track and field has impacted you as a person? 

PS: In general, I think the biggest thing is that it helped me realize that I can do more than I think I can do. Through the practices, it’s time you discover that you can do more, and you can always push harder whenever you feel like giving up.

LG: I read that you have won multiple art awards. Can you tell me more about that?

PS: Those awards are from high school. I haven’t been doing art much since high school, but I want to get back in it. Those awards were for clay sculpture art projects.

LG: Is there a kind of art you like the most?

PS: I really like making things out of clay, and I like painting. Painting is easier right now because I don’t have access to a kiln.

LG: What is your favorite class right now?

PS: I don’t know. I’m kind of taking very basic classes that are career-oriented, so I’m not really taking any enjoyable classes right now. But they have a purpose. 

LG: What is your proudest moment?

PS: I’m very bad at picking favorites. I have had many proud moments in the past. I was part of the team that won Nationals for track and field for the past two years. 

LG: What one word best describes you?

PS: Creative. I’m always trying new things and trying to find new ways of doing things. 

LG: Thank you so much, Paulina.
PS: Yeah, no problem. Thank you.