With the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) cross country season heating up, one of the Dragons’ top runners, Jaden Prillhart ‘26, has made huge strides in becoming a great runner. Prillhart has become a contributing factor to the Dragons’ number two spot in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state rankings.
Prillhart’s early years with the sport began in eighth grade, running for Cabrillo Middle School. Prillhart now has over four years of experience running and has become one of Foothill Tech’s top seven athletes, and in 2023 he went to compete in the CIF State Finals, where Prillhard helped secure a third-place finish for the team in division four.
In Prillhart’s three years with the Dragons, he has proven to be an asset both on and off the course with a personal record in the three-mile of 15:45.5. Prillhart emphasized the dedication and mindset required to compete at the highest level of high school running, having stated, “Running requires you to constantly be giving 100 percent … there are going to be ups and downs in your progress but it’s about being disciplined if you really want to see those times go down.”
The community within the Foothill Tech cross country team has also been greatly impacted by Prillhart, his teammates having said he manages to lighten the mood during workouts and has helped foster the caring and inclusive environment synonymous with the team.
Friend and teammate of Prillhart, Brandon Wofford ‘25, testified to his dedication to the team, adding, “Jaden is always afraid to let the team down so he’s always going his hardest and giving everything in practice and races, especially during CIF … He’s always got a smile on his face, even in the hardest workouts.”
Prillhart’s dedication to his team and sport emphasizes his strong work ethic and resilience in the face of adversity. Prillhart commented on the team atmosphere and some of the important life lessons he has learned over his running career, “Running applies to life in a lot of ways and has taught me to be consistently striving to do better and be better … My biggest inspiration when I’m running is medals and doing well for my teammates.”
Prillhart looks forward to competing for his team for their next race on Sept. 21, 2024, for the 43rd Annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic hosted at Orange County Great Park.
