Hello, my name is Owen Hays and I am a 2021 cross country/track and field athlete at Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Illinois. I am a 3x Varsity All Conference runner in one of the most competitive conferences for cross country and track, the West Suburban Silver Conference. My goals for the 2020 track season are 9:20 for the 3200 and 4:15 for the 1600 as well as qualifying for state in one of these events.  Covid-19 may have canceled our track season however I continue to train to meet these goals.

I can contribute as much toward team camaraderie as I can towards strengthening the team athletically. I am personable and love being around other runners that have the same high goals that I do. To a university, I bring a diverse background and a willingness to learn. I am a second generation American. The constitutional law class I took this year sparked my interest in law because I could see how a career I am interested in could directly help others.  Last summer I worked with an incoming middle-schooler who has difficulties with gross motor skills to get him ready so he could be a part of the middle school cross country team. Working with this child made me a better teammate because I learned it is not only about the fastest kids, but the ones that go to practice everyday to improve on their running skills and the ones that have a genuine love for the sport. 

I have known since my first high school cross country season that I want to run in college.  I have learned a lot during the past three years about the hard work and dedication that goes into being a collegiate distance runner.  I look forward to being a contributing runner to any collegiate distance program that I am fortunate to become a member of. For more information, please email me at owenhays2021@gmail.com.

NCAA ID: 2005857924