Wellesley Athlete of the Week is made possible with sponsorship support from Deland, Gibson Insurance. The family-owned and operated business has carried on this Wellesley tradition for over 30 years.

Athlete of the Week: Lily Jin

Sport: Cross Country/Track and Field

Year: Sophomore

Pump-Up Song: Salute by Little Mix or New Romantics by Taylor Swift

Favorite Class: Pre-Calculus

Siblings: Younger brother in seventh grade

Lily Jin started running in middle school, when after the mini marathon in sixth grade she realized she could run longer distances, and was fast as well. She soon joined the local Waltham Track Club, where she began running competitively.

“I didn’t even know competitive running was  a thing,” she said, “but I really liked it so I continued on the middle school track and cross country teams and then at the high school.”

Last year, Jin made it to the All-State Championship during the outdoor track season in the mile race, which she cites as her greatest athletic accomplishment. Not only did she just participate, she came eleventh in the state with a 5:09 mile as just a freshman. 

This year, the girls’ cross country team came third in the state with Jin as their top runner. Last year, as a freshman, Jin ran a blazing 19:44 5K, and this year, she set her sights even higher. She won the sophomore race by almost a minute at the highly competitive Twilight Invitational, came in third at the Bay State Conference Championship, won the Division 1B Championship, and came in sixth in the Division 1 All-State Championship, where she obliterated her previous personal record by more than a minute by finishing the 5K in 18:30. 

Jin is a determined hard worker who gives 100% effort in every race and workout. “Crossing the finish line is the best part of running when you can see the culmination of all your hard work,” she said.

In addition to being a standout runner, Jin encapsulates what makes a great teammate. “My favorite aspect of running is the team element,” she said. “When you have a great team, that’s all that matters.”

Junior cross country captain Grace Wheelan sees Jin as a leader by example. “Lily is such a positive person to have on the team and comes to every single practice with a smile on her face. She works so hard consistently and inspires everyone around her to give 100% effort,” she said. “[Jin] also cares so deeply about every single one of her teammates and makes everyone feel like a valued part of the team.” 

On meet days, Jin likes to eat a hearty and healthy breakfast filled with carbs and ride with her mom to the race. “I warm up with the team 45 minutes before the race and then I roll out and stretch. I make sure to triple tie my shoes and have everything prepared the night before to make sure my warmup goes smoothly” she said. 

Outside of running, Jin likes reading, watching movies, spending time with friends, and taking walks. 

Jin looks up to many “local legend” runners like Natick’s Grace Connolly, who now runs at Stanford, Holliston’s Carmen Luisi, and her friend Ellie Shea from Belmont. She hopes to continue running throughout her life, saying, “I hope to run competitively in college and someday, when I’m older, run the Boston Marathon. That’s a big goal of mine.” 

Article written by The Bradford’s Caroline Thornton.

Wellesley Athlete of the Week is made possible with sponsorship support from Deland, Gibson Insurance. The family-owned and operated business has carried on this Wellesley tradition for over 30 years.

Athlete of the Week: Pati Cerda

Year: Senior

Sport: Volleyball

Role Model Athlete: Courtney Thompson

Pump-Up Song: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

Favorite Class: AP Psychology

Pati Cerda tried a lot of different sports when she was younger, but none of them clicked until she picked up volleyball in sixth grade. “My dad used to play [volleyball], so we stared playing in my backyard. I did a bunch of summer camps and I honestly fell in love and didn’t want to do anything besides volleyball,” Cerda said.

Cerda is a setter for the Wellesley High School volleyball team and she is very proud of learning to love the position that is so integral to the game. In volleyball, a setter is in charge of passing to their teammates and setting up hitters to hit the ball back to the other side.

Cerda has an average of about 34 to 36 assists per match. Her coach, Fabian Ardila, said this is very important to “create an opportunity for a hitter, and to be the one person that touches the ball more than anyone else in the game, she does that very well.”

Ardila was especially complementary of Cerda’s ability to jack the ball, meaning hitting it from the back corner to the front by the net for a hitter to be successful. He remembered her doing this in a match against Natick, which helped them win the point and eventually the match.

“She’s very intelligent in the game of volleyball, which allows her to understand where the ball is going to go before it actually happens. She places herself on the court in a very easy manner. She understands how the defense on the other side can be compromised based on which player she sets, which makes her extremely valuable for us,” Ardila said.

One of her favorite volleyball memories was from the Natick match this season.

“Everything just clicked. We were a team and we were all playing really well, and it was a very satisfying moment for me, especially as a captain, to see something we’ve all worked really hard on actually working, ” Cerda said.

Cerda’s emphasis is always on teamwork. As a setter, her job is to make plays for hitters, so communication is vital. She prepares for each game by getting mentally prepared with her team by knowing the quirks and minor details of each different opponent and making sure to communicate that to the rest of the team. Cerda takes inspiration from Courtney Thompson, a former setter for the US National Team who preaches mental toughness and always being there for the team.

The team made it to the state tournament, winning its first-round game, but bowing out in the Round of 16 vs. Lincoln-Sudbury. Cerda’s approach to the tournament was that the team “put our heart into it and play our best.”

Cerda will play volleyball at Hamilton College and hopes to study psychology. She would like to go into sports psychology and help athletes struggling with mental health issues. Cerda also enjoys singing and is a member of Keynote Singers and Inchordination A Capella at the high school. In her free time, she coaches volleyball for younger kids.

Article written by The Bradford’s Caroline Thornton.

Wellesley Athlete of the Week is made possible with sponsorship support from Deland, Gibson Insurance. The family-owned and operated business has carried on this Wellesley tradition for over 30 years.

• Athlete of the week: Georgia Spangler
• Year: Junior
• Sport: Swimming
• Pregame Meal: Bagels
• Pump-Up Song: Anything played on the bus on the way to an away meet
• Pre-Race Routine: Stretching and relaxing
• Favorite School Subject: Math or Keynote Singers

Georgia Spangler is a friendly, outgoing junior at Wellesley High School, in addition to being a standout on the girls’ swim team. She learned to swim when she was three years old, and began on a swim team at age six. This will be her third year on the high school swim team, and her tenth swimming competitively. 

“My most memorable moment from swim was my first meet as a freshman when I realized how supportive the team is to everyone and how much we all cheer for each other. It was so different from my club swim meets, just the amount of support I had from my teammates was super memorable.”

As an older member of the swim team, Spangler leads by example. “I try to have a positive attitude, especially when practice gets hard. It’s really difficult to stay positive when it’s impossible and it hurts to do the set, so it’s important to have a good attitude. It’s also important to cheer for [younger members] and make them feel supported because I know my freshman year I was nervous, but when older kids supported me I felt much better.”

Her team members can definitely feel her radiating positive energy. “Georgia’s always laughing, always bouncing around, never in a bad mood, and I think that really brings up the energy of the whole team. She never misses a practice,” says team captain Iris Xia, a senior. “Georgia hosted our first team dinner, and the energy that she provided at her home made for a great team experience. I think a lot of the younger girls look up to her as well.” 

Her meet day routine is simple: taking care of herself. Getting a good night’s sleep, eating well, and relaxing are her keys to success. As for the moments before the race, Spangler makes sure to do her stretching routine on the blocks and tells herself to relax so she can swim her best. 

“My goal this season is to put 100 percent of my effort into every practice and to really be committed to the swim team. Last year was very different and a lot harder because of COVID, but this year is much better,” she says.  

Spangler has already made the time necessary to qualify for the State meet in the 500 freestyle. Her other favorite events are the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. She has not yet decided whether she will continue her swimming career in college.

Outside of swimming and school, Spangler enjoys singing and playing the piano. She is also a part of the Keynote Singers, a selective choral group at the high school. 

Article written by The Bradford’s Caroline Thornton.