Michael Christie: Rapid Runner
Margaret Mushi '19 and Audrey Braun '19, Sports Editor
Michael Christie ’19 has been a powerhouse presence on the Boys Cross Country team for six years.
He joined the Varsity team as a seventh grader where, despite being young and small, he was a Varsity top-seven runner. Christie’s father, who was also a runner, inspired his love for the sport. “I always wanted to run to be like my dad,” he said. From a young age, Christie asked his parents to join a track team but they told him to wait until high school. Finally he joined a local team in New Haven.
Christie struggled with injuries in past seasons but said, “It helped me grow as a person because I got to meet different people.... I’m really blessed to be able to run and it gave me an appreciation for people who can’t run whenever they want.” Head Coach Miguel Pizzaro added, “[Christie] has been committed nonetheless, doing his rehab with dedication and care.”
As a captain, his teammates find him approachable and focused. Co-captain Connor Hartigan ’19 said, “He’s a real positive presence on the team. He leads with a sense of humor [but] when it’s time to be serious, he is serious.” Co-captain Nic Burtson ’20 also added, “Because he’s such a friendly guy, he can be like a friend and an authority figure for a lot of the younger kids.” Pizarro explained his friendliness as one of Christie’s strengths as a captain and said, “He often is able to turn tasks that might seem like chores into games that make them more pleasant.”
Christie’s teammates said that his myriad strengths as both a long and short distance runner contribute to his leadership of the team. Hartigan commented, “He’s a really good short-distance runner and sprinter. He really shines in 100, 200, and 400 meter [sprints,] but he has equal prowess with long distance.” Burtson agreed: “[Christie] sets a really great example by himself and that translates to him not needing to do a lot of yelling at kids.” Those around him find that his attitude and athleticism are his best form of leadership. Christie is proud to be on a team as closely-knit as his: “We’ve got a good spirit, there’s not really any hating on the cross country team... We all just like to run. We all like to have a good time.”
While Christie has had a long, positive, and successful career as a Hopkins runner, he does not plan to continue running competitively after high school.
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