For Rhys, running isn’t just about speed or finish times. It’s about grit, growth, and the sense of belonging that comes from lining up at the start with teammates by your side. An eighth grader with a rapidly rising profile in cross country and track, Rhys has discovered that his greatest strength as an athlete comes not only from his legs, but from his mindset—and the people who push him forward.

Rhys competes in both cross country and track, and when asked to choose a favorite, his answer is simple: “I love them both.” What makes his journey especially remarkable is how recently everything clicked into place. Although he first got involved in cross country back in third grade, he admits he didn’t truly commit until this past year. “I did not take it seriously and only ran every so often,” he says. That changed quickly—and dramatically.

The turning point came at the 2025 Seattle Prep Cross Country Camp. With little formal training, Rhys nearly beat the 12-year-old girls’ mile national champion. That performance caught attention fast. She told her coach from West Seattle Road Runners, who soon reached out to Rhys and his family about Rhys possibly joining the team. At first, they hesitated because of traffic and logistics, and the initial answer from Mom was ’a hard no'. But then the coach happened to be attending Rhys’s first 5-kilometer race, where Rhys placed fourth across all ages after taking a break from running for six weeks. Both his parents were very impressed by his performance and “it was at that point we decided, then and there, that I would join the team,” he says.

From there, everything accelerated. Rhys began training consistently, determined to be ready for the season. The results were striking. He dropped his mile time from 5:30 to 4:54, ran a 9:45 in the 3K, and a 13:28 in the 4K. Those performances earned him a spot at the Junior Olympics—an experience that tested both his physical endurance and mental toughness.

The conditions alone made the race unforgettable. “I finally qualified for the Junior Olympics, with 4 inches of snow which we ran through in a blizzard in Indiana,” Rhys says. But the race itself became one of the defining moments of his young career. “In the Junior Olympics, I had a horrible start. I could've been in last,” he recalls. Instead of panicking, Rhys pushed forward. “I had to run along the outside of people, shove my way to the front of each pack, and in the end, I finished with one of my teammates, the one who always raced 30 seconds faster than me,” he explains. It was a personal breakthrough—and a testament to how far he’d come.

Ask Rhys what he loves most about being an athlete, and he doesn’t talk about medals or times. He talks about people. “I enjoy the feeling around your teammates, the feeling that you belong,” he says. He’s quick to challenge the idea that running is an individual sport. “Most people think Cross Country and Track are single person sports. But they aren't. It takes a team to build each other up, and to make each other stronger,” he shares. Even the nerves feel different when you’re not alone. “It's scary lining up on those starting lines, but even with one teammate, it makes it a whole lot better,” he adds.

Mental strength has been Rhys’s biggest hurdle—and his greatest area of growth. He describes the internal voice that creeps in during races, urging runners to slow down. “It says something like, ‘Only 800 meters left’ or ‘One lap to go,’” he explains. Learning to quiet that voice took time and coaching. One coach taught him to run on autopilot, to find a flow. “And that really worked,” Rhys says. "Now, instead of focusing on distance remaining, the only thing I think about is closing the gap, or catching the guys in front of me, no matter the distance left.”

Before races, Rhys keeps things simple. “I take deep breaths and try not to think about the end. And I just give it my all,” he says. After races, he stays just as focused. He doesn’t dwell on losses. “After every race, I review where I did well and where I went wrong and come back to the next race more determined,” he says. “There's always room for growth. Even the best can be better.”

One of his proudest memories came at the Junior Olympic second qualifier in Oregon. The pressure was intense. “We were on track to be the first 13–14 boys' team to qualify for the Junior Olympics as a team on West Seattle Road Runners,” he says. They did exactly that. Rhys finished 13th, his teammate Gus took 7th, and all eight boys qualified together. “We as a team qualified and all 8 of us went to the Junior Olympics,” he says proudly.

Outside of competition, Rhys is an 8th grade student at Sacred Heart School and is grounded by strong support system both at school and at home. He lives with his parents, three siblings, and his dog. One sister, Maddie, shares his passion for running and competes on Seattle Prep’s Varsity team while his other sister and brother are both in college most of the year. He says that his family never stops encouraging him. “They cheer me on, send me inspirational videos, they help me reflect on the race I just ran, and overall, just never give up on me,” he shares.

That support fuels his outlook—and the advice he gives to others just starting out. “It's always going to be tough, never easy,” Rhys says. “And that's the fun part.” Rhys is excited to run at Seattle Prep starting next year and, beyond that, at his future in college where he hopes to take his running even further.