Chapter 39: Holyn Doran

Justin English, Staff Contributor

For most students at PV, the coming of spring primarily marks the beginning of warm weather and sunny days dressed in shorts. For others, however, spring signifies the start of their sport.

Track season has just begun at PV, and for Holyn Doran, a rising sophomore, this season will be her first chance to run competitively in months.

Last fall Holyn ran for PV’s cross country on the fresh/soph squad, and was part of the group that helped PV sweep the MAC, an experience she recalls gladly. “I was so happy that I was picked as one of the seven girls who ran for PV in the race. The course was really hard but PV ended up sweeping the MAC meet, so it was a great experience.”

In the coming months, Holyn will have a chance to continue to build upon her running success. Holyn runs the 800-meter for the track team, a brutal distance, still short enough to be a sprint but long enough to burn tremendously. This year she hopes to improve her 800meter time and help PV compete for state, and, more personally, a chance to qualify for Nationals in the summer.

However, Holyn’s proudest accomplishments lie off the field. A diligent student, Holyn cites her grades as her proudest achievement. “In the past few years I’m most proud of my grades because I work very hard for them.”

Maintaining high grades as an athlete isn’t always easy, and with Holyn’s difficult course load, including one of PV’s more dreaded classes, (AAT) her commitment to her grades is quite impressive.

Beyond running and homework, Holyn participates in another activity as well. Holyn enjoys singing and is a member of the women’s ensemble choir, a time to both sing and socialize. “I enjoy choir and like that lot of my friends take it with me.”

Only a sophomore, Holyn has plenty of time left to make decisions about her future. However, she already has a concrete goal in mind, one she knows won’t be easy. “I would like to go to medical school and become a doctor,” Holyn says. However, as the spring season begins, she is certainly on the right track.