Madison Contreras

Writer

Finishing his last mile of high school, senior Sam Ivory has gained many friends and life skills through being a part of the Marlow High School track team.

Over the course of his four years, Sam has continuously participated in the long jump and various relay events.

Sam has used his time on the team to grow not only as an athlete but also as a leader.

Close friend and fellow track team member junior Carson Moore described how Sam has experienced growth as a leader.

“I’ve seen Sam take a leadership role and become more of a leader on the team,” said Moore. “He’s been a lot more verbal with his teammates and not been in the background as much.”

Acknowledging his growth since joining the team, MHS Boys’ Track Coach Matt Ivory explains the effects of having his son on the team.

“I have seen Sam become much more confident over the past few years. He has learned to lead by example. He always comes to practice, takes care of business and never makes excuses,” said Matt. “I think that really sets the tone for our team.”

Describing what he has learned through his time in track, Sam explains what mindset he has become accustomed to in track.

“Through track, I’ve learned that if you don’t do the work in practice then it won’t show in the meets,” said Sam. “You have to put the hard work in for it to pay off.”

Carrying the skills he has learned through his final track season, Sam plans to become a firefighter after graduation.

To pursue this career path, Sam plans to attend Oklahoma State University to complete his training.