A determined, hard working individual, Jenna Reecher, a junior at Tennessee High, puts one hundred and ten percent into everything she does. Hours of practice, countless meets, and pushing herself allowed her to qualify for the state cross country meet for her third year in a row. However, although she has had major success, running was not always her sport.

Her career started freshman year after she “fell out of love with soccer,” said Reecher. She played for most of her childhood, and although she always gave it her all, she was ready to face a new challenge.

Her parents are runners, her siblings are runners, and she herself ran track in the spring during her time at Tennessee Middle School. Hence, she decided to pick up a new sport for the fall season and joined the Tennessee High Cross Country team. With her character and will power, how hard could it be?

Her team qualified for state her freshman year.

She ran at the cross country state meet in 2022, and finished in 43rd place with a time of 22:08.16. Her teammate and friend, Zoe Arrington, finished first overall with a time of 19:08.35, setting a role model for Jenna.

Sophomore year came, and so did running. Feeling accomplished after every run, her love for the sport continued to flourish and her determination continued to grow. Reecher won the regionals meet as an individual and qualified for the state meet in 2023.

She ran and finished 37th at the cross country meet with a time of 20:48.66, a major improvement from the season before. Even though Reecher was proud of her accomplishments, she knew deep down that she could achieve more. Her journey wasn’t quite finished yet.

On November 7, 2024, junior Jenna Reecher ran at the state meet as an individual, resulting in having the opportunity to run in Hendersonville for her 3rd consecutive season in a row.

As she reached closer to the finish line, she remembered a promise she made to a teacher.

As I’m running, people are yelling at me and telling me the place I’m in and supporting me.” said Reecher, “I got discouraged halfway through it, but then I remembered that I promised Mr. Mooney that I would get top 20, so I was like, ‘I need to run a little faster’.”

After running through the finish line, she had placed 15th, earning her a spot on the podium.
“It felt unreal, I wasn’t expecting it at all,” said Reecher.

Even though cross country may not have been the sport she did as a child, the hours of dedication she has put into it have paid off tremendously. As a junior, Reecher has accomplished more than most do in their lifetime career.

“I didn’t know what I was capable of doing, so I just keep pushing myself and finding what I am capable of doing,” said Reecher.