Athlete of the Week: Sara Kopunova

On the track, she sprints towards the finish line with determination in her eyes, as her coaches and teammates cheer her on from the sidelines yelling, “Go, Sara!” On Fridays, she can be seen wearing underwear over colorful, wacky leggings and taking pictures with her other teammates who are also dressed up in crazy costumes. All in all, senior and co-captain of the cross country team Sara Kopunova embodies the characteristics needed in a successful and respected captain who is both hard-working and cares about the team.

Kopunova first started running the year before she came to Exeter but started running competitively once she came here. She currently leads the cross country team with co-captain and senior Jo de la Bruyere, both of whom dedicate all of their passion and commitment to the team.

Kopunova explained that, undoubtedly, her favorite part about the sport was the team, especially since cross country is one of the few sports where teammates can talk to people as they run. “When you run, you can tell everyone about your day and it’s just a very talkative sport. I love talking to people and running with them,” she said.

As co-captain, Kopunova always tries her best to keep a strong sense of team unity and spirit, whether it’s through dress up days on Friday or just always being there for the runners. Kopunova emphasized that there was definitely a more personal aspect, as well, in terms of leading the team. “I try to get to know each of the runners, have deeper conversations with them and just be there for them. Running is a hard sport and whether it’s nutrition or injuries it’s good as a captain to be a person that every runner can go up to,” she said.

Teammate and senior Claire Melvin explained that Kopunova “isn’t a captain because of an arbitrary title, but because she leads through action and empathy.” “Sara is the first to run alongside you while asking about your day. Sara doesn’t just support the team, she raises us to a higher level of performance with her drive and dedication,” she added.

Kopunova’s teammates praised her hard work and dedication to communicating with the team this year. Senior Anna Clark explained that it was one of Kopunova’s goals to make sure that everyone on the team knew about the different activities the team would do, whether it’s tie-dye or superhero day. “She’s been pouring a lot of effort into sending out emails, making sure people are included and of course she’s been creating a positive environment through little things like jokes and positivity,” Clark said.

Even people who are not on the cross country team feel the immense amount of optimism Kopunova radiates. Senior Dolapo Adedokun, a close friend of hers, echoed the comments of both Melvin and Clark. “If you’ve been around her, she is constantly emanating positivity and happiness. “Just being around her is enough to make your day better.”

Like a true Exonian, Kopunova excels beyond the cross country trails–she is a dedicated student as well. Adedokun described her as a hard worker in the classroom. “I don’t know a lot of people who can handle doubling up on AP Sciences, Latin and calculus all of lower year. She takes advantage of what Exeter has, and audits courses so she can get the most of her time here,” he said.

Even though a bright smile is always seen on Kopunova’s face, she admitted that the running itself is tiring and painful. Yet she noted that all of this culminates into a rewarding experience and that she will always feel accomplished. “Sometimes it’s difficult to not get burned out from running so many miles daily. Races and meets are a challenge, but it’s important to stay positive and not put bricks on anyone else. Always put your maximum effort in there,” she said.

No matter the difficulty or the circumstance, Kopunova will always cheer people on and always find something positive for the team. As Clark describes, “She doesn’t try to be perfect and so it’s very inspiring to see someone who is human, can complain, can be discouraged, but still pulls through to care about other people. She isn’t afraid to go out of her comfort zone and make new friends and meet people. In all, she’s just a lovely person.”