Strong Leaders Run into a New Cross Country Season

BY LOGAN FULLER ’28

The 2025 Cross Country season started with a bang, as the pack was led by senior captains Edison Li ’26, Diana Sun ’26, Erika Kawakami ’26, Yadas Dhawan ’26, and Christopher Marchand ’26. 

Li has been on the Cross Country team for two years, and this is his first year being captain. Kawakami has been on Varsity Cross Country for three years, and it is her first year being captain. 

Coach Samantha Sledge said, “as seniors, I expect [the captains] to carry [their past] experiences forward—knowing the standards and helping me continue to build and strengthen the running program here in Jericho.”

Each captain was chosen for their own brand of leadership and has their own traits that they bring toward leading the team to success. Edison Li, for example, shows great sportsmanship. Li’s personal season goal is to run a 5K in under 16 minutes, all while being a good teammate and leader who competes at the state level.

Erika Kawakami is known for her consistency and her excellence in supporting her team. Kawakami said she motivates her team “by telling them that they have already done this before and that it will be over before they know it.” Kawakami also enjoys organizing team bonding events to make her team stronger. She said, “I like seeing everyone on the team getting to know each other and becoming friends.”

Yadas Dhawan is known for his excellent communication skills and effort as a captain. He loves to lead through encouragement, especially at practices. His approach to motivate his team is to remind them to never give up. He hopes his motivational words will help his team qualify for States. 

Christopher Marchand is known for his grit and his ability to keep his teammates in check. Although Marchand has overcome a great deal of adversity over his years on the team, including an injury that prevented him from meeting his personal goals. Marchand hopes to hit personal records with his teammates while making it to States.

Diana Sun is known for her positivity and inspirational attitude. She is a captain who cheers on her teammates during practices and meets, and makes it a priority to integrate all members of the team into the group. Sun wants to make sure her team feels well-prepared, well-trained, and well-supported this year as they run their way toward States. 

It is clear that this year’s senior captains are leaving behind a legacy, and they are hoping that the Jericho Cross Country team will continue to grow in the future.