Sophomore Shatters School Record, Sets Sights Higher

When Phoebe Cowles crossed the finish line at Wheaton College last December, she couldn't believe what the clock showed. The Old Rochester Regional High School sophomore had just shattered her school's 600-meter record, a goal she'd been chasing since falling short by just two seconds at her previous meet.

"I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I did it,'" Cowles said. "I was really happy, that was really amazing."

The Mattapoisett runner had come close during her freshman year, but breaking the record wasn't even on her mind when she lined up that Monday morning. Her teammates' cheers told her she'd done something special before she even saw her time.

Cowles originally joined the track team just to stay in shape during soccer's off-season. But she quickly discovered her true calling on the oval, making it to nationals as a freshman after her coach helped her realize how competitive her times were.

Now she's eyeing an even tougher challenge. "The 800-meter school record is definitely daunting, but I think I could get there," she said.

What drives Cowles isn't just personal glory. She describes track as a unique blend where individual performance meets team support, a balance she finds perfect for her competitive spirit.

"When someone's on the track, we'll be chanting, saying 'You've got to push,' 'You've got to go now,'" she explained. "Sometimes when you're running, you feel like you're in a trance, so it helps you break out of that and realize that you can push harder."

Why This Inspires

Cowles learned from older teammates who graduated recently that hard work directly translates to results. "As much as you put into track, you can get out of it," she said, crediting them with showing her what dedication looks like.

Now she's paying it forward. As a member of the ambassadors club, Cowles welcomes incoming freshmen on their first day and gives school tours, bringing the same supportive energy to new students that upperclassmen showed her.

Her approach to both running and leadership is simple: set goals, work toward them, and bring others along for the journey. It's a formula that's already rewriting her school's record books, with more records likely to fall before she graduates.