After finding herself with an empty season in her freshmen year, Andover Girls Indoor Track and Field Co-Captain Anabelle Biggs ’23 found herself trying the indoor track and ended up with a successful season. As Biggs grew more experienced in the sport, Biggs discovered and honed the power Track and Field has to bring people together.
Despite her worries coming to Andover as a new Upper, Biggs was able to connect with the Track and Field team right away. Biggs emphasized how important it is for her to give other athletes the same sense of home she felt immediately after joining the track team at Andover.
“The track team is the first feeling of home I felt coming to Andover. I thought it would be hard finding that home as a new Upper with friend groups possibly already made. Last year, in the Fall there would be Captain’s practices led by last year’s Captains. The group was very small, it was less than ten kids, but after spending every afternoon with them, going to track practice became my favorite part of the day… I stay invested because of how much the sport has provided for me. The biggest thing I want to do is help give back to that track community by helping other athletes find that same element of home that I found in track,” said Biggs.
Sarah Bae ’26 noted the ways Biggs fosters a welcoming and inviting environment within the team. Whether it is giving personalized feedback or simply asking about someone’s day, Biggs emphasizes team spirit and bond.
“If you’re in her group, which is mostly long jumpers, she tries to meet everyone and talk to them. She just has a really inviting personality. She’s able to get to know you, and then try to check in on you throughout the day. She makes you genuinely feel like she wants to get to know you and how you’ve been,” said Bae.
Biggs also mentioned the importance of sharing her knowledge with her teammates, especially new athletes. She noted how rewarding it is to see beginners gain confidence and how she tries to be a part of that new success in any way she can be.
“My biggest thing is just interacting with all different grades. I think it’s easy for underclassmen to stick to themselves and may not interact with older kids. Especially in jumps, there are a lot of new kids and athletes who are just learning the basics and learning how to compete in that event. My way of leading is, I spend a lot of time with those athletes, interacting with them, helping them feel more confident in themselves and more confident about their abilities in the event, giving them tips at the end of the runway when they jump, taking videos for them, pointing out things that they can work on, pointing out things that they’re doing really well,” said Biggs.
Fellow teammate Gracie Aziabor ’26 described Biggs’ calm and level-headed mentality, something that carries over into how she leads. Aziabor noted that Biggs’ extensive knowledge and skill guide to share her personalized feedback with the team.
“As I’ve gotten to know her better across the season, I’ve just seen how composed she is all the time. I think it’s really nice to have a Captain who you know you can just trust them and you can rely on them to either calm you down or just tell you how things are gonna go. She’s really knowledgeable about track in general. She knows how to keep her cool, which is something I admire a lot about her,” said Azaibor.
Aziabor continued, “She’s always been there as someone who can give me corrections or give me tips on how to do a certain thing. She’s just really approachable. Because she’s so approachable, I think it’s easy to talk to her and get advice and things like that.”
Annabel Tu ’25 pointed out how Biggs’s clear dedication to the team and the sport shines through in her leadership. One can look at her performance for direction or ask for specific feedback, and she would be more than willing to give it, according to Tu.
“I think that she is a really great Captain because she sets an example for everyone else on the team through her dedication to the sport and the team. Lots of people look to her when they have questions, and she’s always open to helping other people out,” said Tu.
Biggs is committed to furthering her athletic and academic career next year at Columbia University.
