Nothing brings a group together the way that sports and competition do. For Ziara Rocha, one of her favorite memories is when her girls’ team and the guy’s team both made it to state together last year. “To me, this was so special because this hadn’t happened in such a long time for our school,” she says. Ziara says that her favorite part about cross country is “the family-like bond we all have.”

Ziara is a junior at Woodward High School. She is involved in cross country, track and field, she’s the STUCO President, the FFA Chapter Vice-President, and the Vice-President of her class, as well as a cross country team captain. Her favorite subject is math because she loves numbers, and her favorite teacher is Mr. Washman, her Ag teacher. She says that Mr. Washman “makes a very welcoming environment and is always willing to help out when needed.” In her free time, Ziara likes to relax, listen to music, and exercise to clear her mind. After high school, she plans to go to college to pursue a degree to become a veterinarian.

Ziara says that she’s always had a special interest in sports. She started with basketball and soccer and grew to try more things. The person who got her interested in cross country is her best friend, Avery. Ziara’s biggest role model is her older brother Jaime. “I admire his hard work and dedication to absolutely everything,” she says. What keeps her going through tough times is her family and God. “I always have the desire to strive for a better future and day because seeing the light in their faces when I achieve something new can never beat anything,” Ziara says.

If she could give any advice to her fellow athletes, it would be “simply to never give up or doubt yourself. At the end of the day, we all start somewhere and it’s okay to not be as good as someone else. You just have to keep trying.”