Salute to Seniors: Hannah D'Orso (Kennebunk HS)

Name: Hannah D'Orso

School: Kennebunk High School

What was your most memorable meet?

My most memorable meet was probably the state meet of my senior season of track. At this meet, I placed 6th in the 1600 with a new PR of 5:14 and later in the day, I placed 3rd in the 800 with a new PR of 2:21. During the final meets of my senior year, I was running times that I had dreamed of since freshman year. It was an amazing experience to actually achieve the goals I had carried with me through high school and look back on how far I've come as a runner.

Who would you consider your biggest competition?

The biggest competition I faced senior year was probably from Bonny Eagle. Getting to race against such a strong team has definitely pushed me to do better during meets.

What was your greatest accomplishment?

I have had a very satisfying high school running career so it's hard to say what accomplishment is most meaningful to me. One of my greatest achievements was running a 5:14 mile at states for indoor. After this race, I could barely walk and really felt I had put all of my effort into competing. Not only was this race a great indicator of the effort I had put in over the season, it also showed me how much improvement I have made over the past four years which was a great feeling.

If you could do it all again, what would you change?

If I could change anything, I probably would have taken training a little more seriously my first year of high school.

What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

I never really had to deal with any serious injuries throughout high school that interfered with a season. Instead, the biggest obstacle I had to overcome in order to be successful was mental, not physical. The biggest obstacle was getting mentally prepared for races, especially the big post-season meets.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss so many things about running for Kennebunk- the spaghetti dinners before cross country meets, my pre-race pep talks with Coach Fulford, course walks before cross country races with the team, post-race cool-downs with my teammates... all in all, I will just miss being a part of the team atmosphere at KHS.

What advice you would give to younger athletes?

Listen to your coach and trust in your training. If you show up to practice every day and work hard, you will put yourself on the path to make great improvements and achieve amazing things. What you put into training is exactly what you will get out, but above all, just make sure you're having fun and enjoying the experience.

What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?

The influence my coaches have had on me is immeasurable. I would not be the person I am today without the guidance I have received from them. My experience as a runner for Kennebunk under the guidance of such amazing coaches has taught me to take training more seriously and strengthened my passion for the sport. Coach Fulford, who I have worked with since cross country season in 8th grade, has been especially influential to me and I am grateful for everything he has taught me. 

What are your college plans?

I will be majoring in cinema at the University of Hartford and running on the track and cross country teams.

Who would you like to say thank you to?

I would like to thank every track and cross country coach I have worked with since I began summer recreation track at 5 years old. These people taught me to love running and I will always be grateful for everything they have done for me. I would like to thank my teammates for pushing me to work hard and for making the team feel like a family. I would like to thank my friends and family for all of their support and encouragement. I would also like to thank my mom for making spaghetti and meatballs every night before a race and my sister for putting up with eating the same meal just about every week for four years.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Shoutout to the XC Squad (AW, DC, AR, PG, AG) for allowing me to have a fun cross country season while continuing to work hard and take training seriously.

More Coverage

• Hannah's Athlete Profile
• Class Of 2019 Signings List

 High School