Athlete of the Month: Drew Okon

Emily Moosbrugger, Sports writer|November 18, 2019

Okon competing in a race. The team has seen improvement since adding Okon this season.

Bringing his raw talent with him, senior Drew Okon traveled cross-country from Maryland to Clemmons to find himself Conference Runner of the Year.

Okon made a lasting first impression when he dropped his time by more than a minute and earned himself the honorable award. The conference runner of the year award is presented to the runner who wins the conference out of a field of 112 runners.

“I dropped my time from 17.50 to 16.33[seconds],” Okon said.

In addition, Okon won all-region with a sixth-place finish at the regional championship.
Despite having to adjust to a different social environment after moving from Maryland, Okon loves running with his new team, and fit in with them quickly.

“Running with the guys is pretty fun. It’s a good group,” Okon said.

Okon’s success has greatly impacted his team by working hard for himself and his teammates.

“[Having Okon] certainly makes us a much better team. I think it is a positive boost for everybody’s morale if the team does better,” coach Nathan Newsome said.

Coming from his team in Maryland, Okon had to adjust to a whole new style of training. Despite being new to the team as a senior, he still sets examples for his teammates.

“He’s a good teammate, he leads by example, works really hard and demonstrates what a good work ethic can do in regards to being able to follow training instructions,” Newsome said.