With the sound of the gunshot, signaling the start of the race, Alli Provenzano (12) is off sprinting, her cleats digging into the synthetic track for grip, propelling her forward with every stride. Baton tight in hand, Provenzano’s long blond ponytail whips in the wind as she rounds the first left turn, ready to hand it off to her relay partner. Breaking free from the pack of high school sprinters, Provenzano hands the baton off to teammate Michelle Quinn (12), only hoping that the lead she formed will be maintained throughout the rest of the race.

Starting her freshman year, senior Alli Provenzano has been a sprinter on the YLHS varsity track team. Although she entered high school playing soccer and track, she decided that after her freshman year, she only wanted to pursue track so she could put all of her efforts into one sport. “While I had always played competitive soccer growing up,” Provenzano admits, “I knew I wanted to try running track because my older brother used to run when he was in high school.”

Since then, Provenzano has made it to CIF and has won league champion for the relay every year. Her times include an 8.15 for the 60 meters, a 12.55 for the 100 meters, and a 26.55 for the 200 meters. Provenzano is the captain of her team and acts as a role model by helping to coach everyone as well as leading warm-ups and workouts. “When I was in track, Alli was a role model for me,” Payton Janish (12) states, “I would always look to her for motivation because she always took charge.”

Not only does Provenzano take charge on the track, but she also takes charge of her academics. With three and a half hour practices every day from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and four to six-hour track meets twice a week, balancing academics and athletics is a major task for Provenzano. Provenzano states that “during track season I am on a very tight schedule. Since I have a fifth period even though I am a senior, I go from school straight to practice, then I finally get home where I immediately begin my homework so I can go to bed at a decent time.” Throughout it all, Provenzano as managed to keep her grade point average above a 4.0 for all four years of high school. Although Provenzano has decided not to run track beyond high school, she plans on continuing on her education at a four-year college, though she is still unsure of where she will end up.

Because her younger brother Troy Provenzano (9), runs track as a freshman at YLHS, and her father ran in high school and college, Provenzano will often train outside of school. Her brother and her dad will go on runs on the weekends to stay in peak condition. “It is really special to me that I am able to share my passion with my brothers and my dad. It allows us to have something in common that we can bond over. I know not everyone is as fortunate so it is something that I am very thankful for,” Provenzano shares.

Provenzano shares that she has been getting faster each year and is projected to break her records again this year. We would like to wish Alli Provenzano and the rest of the track team good luck for their upcoming season.