Michael Iyali has been the most successful when it comes to the 2019 Fall Sports.

This season, Iyali has won three races and has placed second in the following two. Although Iyali is one of the most successful athletes at the moment, his reason for running is not based on winning the race but the reasons he races.

Iyali arrived to Wichita almost four years ago from Uganda and landed at North where he expresses his love for the culture which surrounds him. “We (him and his siblings) came here for a better life and good education. As we are here, we just do things that we love and make our parents proud and happy for us,” Iyali said.

Running allows Iyali to destress and relax, but he also is assured that he can run and he is good at it. “I run because a good man told me once that running would change my path one day,” Iyali said. He describes his team as a loving, caring, and awesome set of friends. “I am

proud to call them my family,” Iyali said. The Cross Country team is one of his main reasons for coming back everyday to practice hard .

“He is one of the most coachable athletes I’ve ever had,” Coach Daryle Bookout said. Coach Bookout does not have the expectation for Michael to qualify for State but to be honest (I’m more concerned) with his path of life and pursuing what is meaningful to him after High school. “If state is one of those things I’m fine with that but I do not have that expectation for him,” Bookout said.

Michael makes sure to have a healthy diet to keep him as healthy as possible for his races. His routine before a race is simple; he makes sure not to eat anything crazy or heavy the night before as well as getting a great amount of rest. 30 minutes before his race he stretches, warms up, and eats a light snack.

Once he begins his race, Iyali watches his pace and increases slowly to finish strong at the end. What Iyali wants to improve on is pushing himself, and getting faster at the end of a run.

Before joining Cross Country Iyali was just on the track team,  which he will also be running for this spring. After high Sshool Michael is going to be running in college, which college is undecided at the moment. “I don’t think my parents would be able to afford paying for all of me and my siblings college and be able to do everything they are doing for us. I’m really glad that me and my siblings joined the running team,” Iyali said.

“I love North and I am so glad that I came to North. Very supportive people. Once a Redskin, always a Redskin!” Iyali said.