Having attended Nationals every year since she was a freshman and holding school and city wide records for her running times, Jackson-Reed’s senior track star Indie Wallace-Persaud is only getting started.
Wallace began her track career in third grade. “I used to race people in school, and they kind of told me ‘[you should] try out for the track team.’” Wallace continued running at Hardy Middle School. By the time she entered high school, her dedication was apparent.
Currently, Wallace is a sprinter on the JR Track and Field Team, running the 100, 200, and 400 meter sprints, and long jump.
In preparation for the winter and spring seasons, the JR track team undergoes an intense schedule, training up to six days a week. In Wallace’s case, practice truly does make perfect. She has broken three school records, with her 11.8 second 100 meter sprint, her 24.35 second 200 meter sprint, as well as her 18’11” long jump. Her 100 meter time also broke DC outdoor records.
Because of her astounding times, Wallace has qualified for track and field high school nationals every year for the last three years, in both indoor and outdoor competitions. In her freshman year, Wallace won fifth in the nation for the indoor competition, but could not run outdoor due to injury. She has since then qualified for both indoor and outdoor nationals in her sophomore and junior year.
While she may make it look like it, track is far from easy. In addition to the physical intensity required, Wallace acknowledges that “it can sometimes be mentally draining, [and] if you’re not taking care of your mental health as much as your physical health, it can get overwhelming.”
One activity that has helped Wallace is the Strength and Empowerment (WISE) club at JR, where a college student comes in and mentors the members. ”[WISE] kept me on track with my mental health, because sometimes I can get distracted with the physical side of everything.”
Ultimately, her dedication to track is paying off; Indie has received offers to run track from multiple colleges, including Syracuse, Columbia, North Carolina A&T, and the US Naval Academy. “I plan to do track for the next four years after high school, but if it takes me any further, I’m not going to run away from it.” In addition to running in college, Wallace is looking into schools with notable business management and marketing programs.
Wallace has had immense success so far, but through it all, she remains grateful for her friends, coaches, and family. She shouts out coaches Tia Clemmons, a JR health teacher, and Coach Dom, who oversees the sprints for the team. Wallace appreciates JR’s health and P.E. teacher Desmond Dunham for watching out for her, and chemistry teacher Marquita Shefa who sponsors WISE club. “My family [has been] most of the reason why I still do [track], because they’re able to support me and understand just who I am as a person, not just as a track athlete. They know that my love of track is important to me so they come to support me and make sure I’m doing the right thing.”
While Wallace’s time on the JR track and field team ends, we will certainly not forget her. Instead, we should keep an eye out, to see what she accomplishes next!
