Kishan Clarke ’26 is one of four Co-Captains for Indoor Track and Field. He focuses on short-sprint events, such as the 55-meter dash and 4×200 relay. As a captain, Clarke tries to create an inclusive and welcoming environment, especially considering the size of the program.
Clarke’s primary aspiration is to be a team-first leader. He perceives Track and Field as a training ground to learn and advance both physically and mentally.
“With track, there are a lot of new things to learn, though most things are intuitive. I like to promote a comfortable environment for everyone to learn and grow. Mainly, I’d like to be someone whom people in the team can look up to. If they have any questions, anytime about learning something new, [I want to be] someone that they could reach out to, especially if they don’t feel comfortable talking to the coaches,” said Clarke.
Clarke’s expertise lies in the art of block starts, aiding in his short-sprint events. However, regardless of who comes to him for help or for what reason, Clarke is always ready to offer his best support.
“Earlier this week, we were starting to work on block starts and the first half of the races. I always get questions on how to better my start, and I always like to demo for people or give particular tips on anyone’s form. That’s the thing that I have the most knowledge on. Generally, I would say that track workouts are very difficult. So, like the captains before me, I always try to keep [the vibe] positive during really hard workouts, so people can feel that they can push through as well,” said Clarke.
Brady Nelson ’27 praised Clarke for how knowledgeable and helpful he has been. He noted the specifics that Clarke taught him, which helped him improve his own starting form.
“He would teach everybody in the group, and he was very good at giving advice. [For example], he would teach us about ankle positions and where you want to place your hips during the blocks. Then, how to really drive off your first few steps initially, trying to [attain] triple extension,” said Nelson.
A large part of Clarke’s leadership resembles the captains and practices before him, an intentional act.
“We always start practice each day [together]. We don’t separate immediately into different groups. We also have a tradition called ‘Birthdays,’ where everyone gets in a circle. The captains are in the middle, and whoever’s birthday it is, we call them into the middle, and we do jumping jacks. It’s different this year because we have a new coach, but most of the team stays together for the majority of the warm-ups,” said Clarke.
Quentin Cynn ’28 reflected Clarke’s sentiment as he compared Clarke to former Co-Captain Russell Robinson ’25. He praised Clarke for the positive energy he brings.
“He’s like Russell Robinson 2.0. [Robinson] was always there to support everyone. He brought the team together, and he would be there supporting you the entire way, so Clarke is like [Robinson] in that way. He’s always there. He brings everyone up. Even if you’re not particularly good at running, he’ll still be there for you, helping you,” said Cynn.
While Clarke has not committed to any colleges to compete in Track and Field at the collegiate level, that prospect is not yet out of the question. He added that regardless of which college he goes to, his love for the sport will not waver.
“[Running in college] depends on what college I go to. Some colleges would allow me to run, some may not. It depends, but I would love to run in college.”
