Senior Keryssa Li received the $10,000 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, which is given to one Californian male and female athlete, she said. She was also awarded the fall CIF Spirit of the Sport Award, which is a $2,500 scholarship given to one Californian male and female athlete during each season, she added.
The CIF Spirit of the Sport Award is based on outstanding community service involvement, leadership, and sportsmanship, while the CIF Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award recognizes strong academic achievement and community involvement, Li said.
“I want to continue running in college, not at a professional level, but I’m hoping to join some sort of athletic club or a hobby on the side,” Li said.
Li regularly participates in math competitions, which helped her stand out and receive the scholarships, she said. She is a three-time qualifier for the American Invitational Mathematics Association (AIME), and is a National Merit finalist, she added.
“I think one of the things I’m most proud of is my academic journey here because I really prioritized school and grades, and I think I’ve done pretty well,” Li said.
Li became the captain of the cross country team during her senior year, and participated in both cross country and track and field for six years, she said. Li proposed the idea to create a captain position to head cross country and assistant track coach Yohaness Asnake, who ultimately chose her to become the captain, Li added.
“I got into running initially around elementary school—third or fourth grade,” Li said. “One incident that I remember is, once, in fourth grade, my teacher Mrs. Schwartz said I was a really fast runner during PE (physical education), and she made me race against an older boy. I think the adrenaline and the experience just made me really interested in running.”
Although Li has many commitments and responsibilities like academics outside of track and field, her ability to maintain a balance is her most outstanding quality, track and field distance and cross country assistant coach Dillon Hu said. Overall, Li’s communication skills make her a team player and a leader, he added.
“She’s a very well-rounded athlete,” Hu said. “She has speed, she has endurance, she doesn’t really have any true weaknesses, (and) she’s very versatile. The jumps coach was shocked that she was a distance runner because she was apparently very fast in the 200 (meter dash).”
Li achieved her personal record for cross country at Crystal Springs, where she ran five kilometers in 20 minutes and 41 seconds in sophomore year, she said. For track and field, Li ran the 1,600-meter dash in 5 minutes and 29 seconds in sophomore year, and ran the 800-meter dash in 2 minutes and 29 seconds this season, she added.
“My parents really helped me out so much and they support me endlessly,” Li said. “They drive me to meets and competitions, and my mom makes me really good food. They always cheer me up when I’m down and provide me with motivation.”
Senior Kaylana Chuan, who met Li in cross country during their freshman year, believes their friendship was strengthened by the many things they have in common, she said.
“She’s been the best teammate ever,” Chuan said. “She’s super supportive, and whenever I’m not performing well, she cheers me up. And even though she’s faster than me, she still runs with me during the long runs.”
Unexpected medical complications with Li’s thigh resulted in her needing surgery, forcing Li to end her senior year cross country season early, she said.
“I totally wanted to lead the team in the states, and it just felt like I didn’t have a chance to improve myself anymore, but I think I picked myself up after that, and really dove into the track and field mentality that I wanted to improve,” Li said.
Besides her family, Li’s friends and coaches are also her biggest supporters, she said.
“They’ve imparted on me a major message, which is (that) achievements, numbers, and stuff like that aren’t really important,” Li said. “They are not the most important aspect of track—I think it’s improving yourself and trying to be the best version of you.”