Princeton senior Will Smith seeks to qualify for the Class 6A state meet in both the 800-meter run and boys 4×400 relay. Photo by Jerry Winfrey / C&S Media
By David Wolman
When watching from the stands, Princeton senior Will Smith stands out.
It’s easy to spot Smith because of his curly, blonde hair.
Smith has had the same haircut for the last three years, but it was a look that he never planned.
“It just naturally happened,” he said. “I wanted to grow my hair out. I got influenced by people around me and just wanted to grow my hair out like how other guys had it.”
But with the most important race of his high school career coming up this weekend, Smith has an important decision to make when it comes to his hair.
With only the top two finishers in the boys 800-meter run and boys 4×400 relay at the Region II-6A meet qualifying for the state meet — and with several runners in the 800 having run faster times than him — he wants to give himself the best advantage.
That’s why Smith hasn’t ruled out a trip to the barber shop.
“I’m thinking about getting it cut,” he said. “I might be faster without it. I know the guys this week are faster. I know that they ran a 1:51, 1:52. My goal is to hang with them and do as well as I can.”
Focusing on the smallest of details has led to massive improvement for Smith.
That began with eating healthier. Cereal has been replaced with chicken and rice. Stretching at home has also become a priority.
Those changes have made a big difference in Smith’s energy and endurance.
“I came over here last year and tried to get through the workouts instead of trying to have the best workouts,” he said. “I’m a lot faster and have a lot more endurance than I did, and I’m just hungry to win.”
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