Co-Captain Darielys Almonte ’25 is a friendly face on and off Andover’s Indoor Track & Field team, leading with constant support. Almonte places a strong emphasis on team unity, striving to build strong team chemistry and foster a sense of camaraderie between every athlete.
Inspired by her mother, who was a collegiate athlete, Almonte developed her passion for track in the fourth grade. For Almonte, her mother was not only someone who motivated her to keep pursuing track but also a friend with whom she could share this interest.
“I started track in the fourth grade. My mom was a runner and ran at the collegiate level. I remember loving to run at an early age and having my mother be a runner pushed me to run even more. My mom is my best friend. Running was and still is something that we share. Honestly, pursuing long jumping specifically is something I don’t remember. All I know is that I’ve been doing it since [I’ve been on] my club team, Cambridge Jets,” said Almonte.
Almonte prioritizes being open to everyone, aiming to create a supportive atmosphere where teammates can reach out for help or advice in any situation.
“The leadership I display is a friendly type of leadership. I always try to help people when I can and be a friendly face on the track. I strive to be a leader that people can go to for help or anything really,” said Almonte.
Almonte continued, explaining how she makes an effort to unify the team by energizing and supporting others. She also mentioned that making others feel comfortable at meets by assuring them they are not alone is a priority for her.
“I make [the team] feel unified by always encouraging and hyping others up. I also try to be as honest as possible so if I’m feeling super anxious at a meet or if I’m tired, I don’t hide it so that others feel comfortable and know that they’re not alone,” said Almonte.
Laura Mazzarelli ’27 spoke on how Almonte’s leadership is characterized by her positivity and encouragement. She recalled a workout in which Almonte relentlessly motivated the team to keep pushing forward and not give up.
“Dari’s leadership is very positive and very affirmation based I’d say. She’s always trying to cheer people on. We did a workout this week and she was one of the first people to go and she would always say, ‘Just a few more to go, we got this, we got this!’ I also was in a relay with her and we were practicing pass-offs and she was always very motivational and inspirational,” said Mazzarelli.
Mazzarelli recalled practicing relay hand-offs with Almonte, ultimately leading to success in the 4×200 Meter race in the team’s recent meet last Wednesday. She shared how Almonte helped improve the team’s overall technique by correcting certain skills while also creating a safe space where Mazzarelli felt comfortable making mistakes.
“When we did the relay together, [Almonte] was the person I was passing off to. We messed up the first few times we practiced together. Eventually, on the actual day we passed off, we got it. I’d say that she contributed a lot to that because she made sure that we corrected what was needed whilst also making me feel safe to make mistakes,” said Mazzarelli.
Recalling a time she was competing, Chloe Song ’26 shared her appreciation for Almonte’s encouragement, especially since it came from a different event group.
“When I did my event, I just remember her cheering for me. And it’s just so nice to have people from different event groups cheering for you because they’re coming from a different corner of the team,” said Song.
Song continued, sharing how Almonte is a proactive and passionate captain. Almonte utilizes her personal connections to work well and solve problems within her event group.
“She’s pretty proactive and a pretty passionate captain. I’ve seen that whenever there’s a problem since she’s made a lot of personal connections with those in her event group she’s able to just connect well and solve problems,” said Song.
While Almonte doesn’t plan to run collegiately she will still continue running recreationally, especially because of how it connects her to herself and her loved ones. Additionally, she believes her younger teammates will continue a positive legacy.
“I don’t plan on running in college but running will always be a part of my life. I love going on runs by myself and my family. Running is therapeutic for me… I see my leadership reflected in my younger teammates that I’m closer to on the team. I see stepping into leadership roles and I know they will make amazing future captains,” said Almonte.