Athlete of the Week: Anna Barnes

Coming to Exeter after growing up in Vermont, senior Anna Barnes had never run on a team before.

“My school before Exeter was so small we didn’t have any sports teams,” she said. Despite this hindrance, Barnes ran local 5K races with her family and always liked the running experience and activity. When she arrived at Exeter as a prep in the fall of 2012, joining the cross-country team was a natural choice as “a sport to try.”

Since then, Barnes has developed enormously, making and breaking PR times and rising to be captain of both the girls’ varsity cross country and girls’ varsity track teams. Math instructor and cross country coach Gwynneth Coogan lauded Barnes as an ideal member and leader of the team.

"[Barnes] has a great perspective on her own running… she is a beautiful runner, and she makes racing and running look easy.”

“[She] is a tremendous athlete, very tough and determined and talented,” Coogan said, and added that Barnes is selfless in all her actions on the team. No matter the situation, Coogan explained, Barnes maintains a positive attitude and “never asks her teammates to worry about her instead of their own racing.” Whenever Barnes herself is afflicted with an injury, Coogan said she manages it with grace. Whenever she is unable to race at a meet because of it, she works to manage other aspects of the team, sorting out logistics and keeping team members upbeat.

For Barnes, running is a passion and a release.

“I like that it’s a time during the day when you can stop thinking about everything else you have to do and just focus on running,” she said. “It all depends on you, and you can push yourself as hard as you want.” Despite the solitary nature of running as a sport, however, she said that she likes the team aspect just as much as the running part.

Teammates and coaches alike agreed that Barnes sets an example as a leader and as a dedicated runner to each member of the team. She also stays organized in team management, ensuring that the bond between the runners stays close and the team’s core remains strong. Upper Sarah Brown, who said the team prides itself on its community and inclusivity, praised Barnes for always pulling the team together while remaining “nice to everyone.”

Brown said that when she joined winter track her prep year, she didn’t have many friends, but Barnes stood out as both a dedicated and friendly member of the team. “She is an amazing captain, a great leader… [and] a great friend,” Brown said.

Barnes’ friendly nature extends to each team member. While she named managing the team’s many diverse personalities as a challenge as a captain, her teammates said she managed to make sure everyone was included and stayed on the same page.

Prep Grace Gray said being on the team this year has given her a sense of community at Exeter, and while she has only known Barnes for a few months, Barnes has become a role model in her life.

“Anna has played a huge part in making our team the best it can be and I’m so thankful to have her as a captain.” Gray said.

Lower Jo de La Bruyere agreed with Gray and Brown. “Anna is also just unbelievably friendly,” she said.

Coogan and nearly all of her teammates noted Barnes’ ability to treat and handle her injuries well, a skill that many athletes neglect or try to recover from too quickly. De la Bruyere said Barnes is “just insanely determined.” Whenever, she is faced with an injury, de la Bruyere said Barnes “refuses to let that get her down,” going above and beyond recovery requirements and then returning to racing as soon as possible.

Gray said that Barnes’ personality and characters shines through most during her times of difficulty. Even during races when she cannot run due to an injury, she continues to work her hardest and maintains an “amazing attitude. She is fully invested in the team even when she doesn’t have to be,” Gray said, citing the team’s meet at Deerfield last week as an example. Though she couldn’t race herself, she joined the team at the meet to watch and keep them organized. Gray said that Barnes “has played a huge part in making our team the best it can be.”

Her determined attitude aids her on the trails and on the track, but also carries over to serve her well in each of her other pursuits. In addition to her considerably athletic career at the Academy, Barnes heads ESSO Gal Pals club, is a proctor in Hoyt Hall and is a member of the E-Proctor board. Barnes handily manages her extracurricular activities and classes with her role of the cross country and track teams.

Barnes’ attitude surrounding team activities and support are crucial to making her a good leader, but her coaches and teammates explained that she is also invaluable as a runner in any race. Upper Juni Terry said her strengths lie not only in her incredible “support for the team,” but also in her impressive times.

Coogan said that Barnes “has a great perspective on her own running… she is a beautiful runner, and she makes racing and running look easy.”

Brown, too, said that Barnes is an extremely strong team member in any event. “I love to run with her, and she helps me through any race,” she said, adding that her speed and ferocity make Brown glad she’s on Exeter’s team “and not the opposing one.”

Barnes is a quieter captain than some, but Terry explained that this ultimately benefits her and suits her leadership style as a listener and supporter. But despite her often quiet demeanor, as soon as she starts a race, she tackles the challenge head-on.

Coogan said she sees Barnes thrive off races, and that she analyzes her own races and later distinguishes whether it was a “good race” or a “great race” and determine ways in which she can improve. “She does not shy away from competition or adversity; Anna embraces it.”