Captains of the Week: Leta Griffith and William Lu

By ERIN HAN, MARVIN SHIM, and MEGHAN TATE ZEE

Around campus, you may have seen the cycling team pedaling by with iridescent sunglasses and neon vests. This team, recognizable from half a mile away, works tirelessly everyday in an attempt to sweep each race’s podium. Within the group, there are two members who keep the cyclists working hard and with high spirits: upper Leta Griffith and senior Will Lu, the team’s captains.

Surprisingly enough, both joined the team as preps with little experience in the sport. Griffith reflected, “I was inspired to take on the role of captain because of Ale Murat, who was the girls cycling captain my prep and lower years. She was such a positive and motivating presence on the team, and I knew that I wanted to hopefully carry on her supportive and fun-loving energy as a leader once she left.”

“Both captains came from being newbies in the sport to accomplished racers,” head coach Don Mills said. “It’s part of why they are such good captains.”

The “lead-by-example” attitude that both captains have taken on pushes team members to become the best athletes that they can be. Lu explained, “I think I really enjoy leading by example. I don’t really like giving people directions and stuff like that because I don’t think anybody likes unsolicited advice.”

He continued, emphasizing his belief that relentless directing is not a productive approach. “I also think that mastery of anything doesn’t come in three years, so I honestly don’t feel like an authority most of the time. I’ve always had the philosophy that if people want more guidance, they’ll come to me for it. If people really want to go far, they’ll ask for help. So, I try to be there, but I don’t want to be an overwhelming kind of source.”

Lower Sebastian Sobeih described how deeply the captains’ motivating voices are felt within the team. “I feel like they’re really inspiring people just in general, in everything. The people that they are, how they interact with the team, both as a teammate, school schoolmate, and also a leader.”

Sobeih added, “They’re really, really good leaders in bringing the team together, and in pushing everybody really hard. There have been days of riding and racing where you’re already seeing stars and then they tell you to push harder, and you do and get that last bit out, and that’s really, a cream of the crop, best feeling.”

Lu added, explaining his emphasis on a teams’ bondedness in connection with their success, “I think that you can’t really have a team without disciplined members and without competent members. I think that’s my first priority, to become a competent athlete myself.”

“That kind of goes into what I told you earlier about why I like leading by example,” Lu continued. “I try to become better every year. A lot of that’s just through training on my own in the off-season and learning a lot about cycling and sports science, and just trying to become the best version myself, so that maybe people can have me as an example.”

“I would describe Will as being the most into-cycling person I know,” senior Alex Rosen said.

“He’s always eager to get some extra miles in after practice, he’s happy to teach other people about how bikes work and is very knowledgeable.”

Similarly, Rosen said, “I would describe Leta as extremely hard-working. During our race a few weeks ago she started off with a very strong sprint to get some distance from everyone else and then ended up getting a minute and a half lead on the rest of the peloton. She’s one of those people who really always tries her best.”

These separate qualities, in tandem with the two captains’ shared emphasis on community, have fostered a team environment like no other. “My view of the team so far is that it is one of the best communities I’ve been a part of here at Exeter,” Rosen said. “It’s one of those teams with just really good chemistry. Every time we are on the bus we end up having a good time, whether that’s playing headbands, playing pickleball after practice, or talking.”

Mills echoed, “They have both done a great job bringing the team together as a unit.”

Whether on the race track or on a quick ride along the Academy’s paths, Lu and Griffith are always at hand, consistently leading the team onward.