Ethan Fleming

Olivia Warren

What is it like being a Lee’s Summit Tiger on the cross country, track and field, and newspaper team? Junior Ethan Fleming gives his thoughts and whether he will continue into college. 

“Part of me doesn’t want to spend my college days like my high school days. But part of me doesn’t really think I can stop running.” Fleming said. 

He has been running with LSHS since his freshman year, he is now a junior. Fleming is also a part of the newspaper team at LSHS. Fleming gained interest in joining the teams when one of the YouTubers he watched at the time encouraged their viewers to check it out.

“I started cross country because there were these Youtubers I watched and they said it was a great sport and I kept doing it, I’m very bad at quitting things,” Fleming said. 

He has been with the team for three years, through thick and thin, ups and downs. Even though COVID.  To have that sense of team in your school is important and that is what the cross country and track teams are for Fleming. Part of what allows Fleming to be successful in these teams is his ability to pace himself.

“In track especially, I think it’s my ability to pace myself. I’m very good at keeping a good pace, I’m good with numbers. Keeping my times where they should be. A lot of guys will go too fast then too slow, then too fast again but I can keep it more even, still not actually even but more so.” Fleming said. 

He believes that the more someone is willing to try to get better the better they can do.

“Our coaches spend a lot of time talking about toughness, building up the mental endurance to do things. I think that I’ve bought into that and I think it’s an important thing to learn. To have difficulties and keep going, to keep pushing through to what matters.” Fleming said.