Waukomis sophomore Wyatt Southwick has quickly become a versatile presence for the Chiefs track and field team, balancing sprint events and the long jump with a steady, team-first mindset. A 10th grader, he already understands that success on the track is built less on flash and more on showing up, day after day.
Southwick competes in the 100 meters, the 4×100 and 4×200 relays, and the long jump, giving Waukomis a reliable contributor across multiple events. He says the best part of track is sharing those moments with his teammates. “Running with my friends and seeing them compete” is what keeps him coming back to practice and meets.
That sense of support is rooted at home as well. Southwick points to his mother as his biggest inspiration, crediting her perseverance as a model for how he approaches both sports and life. “Just seeing all she’s been through and she still keeps going no matter what weighs her down,” he said. Her example has helped him embrace the daily grind that track demands, from hard workouts to long meet days.
On meet days, Southwick keeps his routine simple and focused. He listens to music and stretches between events, using that time to reset before stepping back onto the track or the runway. Away from competition, he enjoys fishing and working out, hobbies that give him a balance between calm and conditioning. In the classroom, his favorite subject is history, and he especially appreciates the way Mrs. Hicks makes the past come alive.
Southwick says discipline, consistency and teamwork have been the most impactful lessons he has learned through track. Those traits show up in how he talks about his goals and how he views improvement over the course of a season. If he ever had the chance to try something new, he admits he would pick the pole vault — even though the event looks “scary” from the ground.
The philosophy he carries with him is simple but powerful. “You don’t have to be the fastest, just be the one who doesn’t quit. Keep showing up,” Southwick said. It is a mindset that fits a young athlete still early in his high school career but already building a foundation for the future. After graduation, he hopes to attend college and study philosophy, continuing to think deeply about the values that have guided him on the track at Waukomis.
