Antioch Community High School varsity cross country has had numerous talented athletes run throughout its program’s history. Now attending the University of Illinois Springfield, ACHS alumnus Lucas Baronello is one of the greatest to ever do it in the Antioch running family. While majoring in environmental science, Baronello is balancing his schoolwork and running.
Baronello was an all-time great at ACHS because of his passion for the sport; he loves to run and finds joy in doing it. He would hit it hard at practice and even run extra miles afterward if he felt it was necessary.
“What made me successful in high school and what will hopefully make me successful in college is that I love the sport,” Baronello said.
One of the greatest differences between running in high school and collegiate running is the mileage. In high school, the cross country team runs between three to eight miles daily. In college, Baronello is running anywhere from three to 16 miles per day. Antioch varsity cross country coach and assistant track and field coach Christopher Bailey is confident Baronello can successfully navigate any change because he is a hard worker and enjoys running.
“The biggest adjustment for him is going to be the speed and increase in his volume,” Bailey said. “Knowing Lucas, he’s going to thrive off of that, and he’s going to enjoy doing more because he knows the benefits to it.”
Along with handling his tough running schedule, Baronello needs to find ways to balance school. The biggest change from high school to college is the class schedule. In high school, Baronello had seven classes and a lunch; however, in college, he only has class a couple of times a week, leaving himself with plenty of time to divide accordingly.
“We only have class twice a week, so I need to hold myself accountable the other five days,” Baronello said.
Although Baronello’s schedule for running and school has changed with his adjustment to college, one thing that has stayed the same is his personality, which is something that sets him apart from the rest. He has always been an easygoing person that is respected by coaches, teammates, friends and family; his uniqueness has secured him a great reputation, and he is someone that people enjoy being around.
“One quality that will help him in life is his kindness and care for people,” junior Anton Augusto said. “He wants others to get better and enjoys spending time with teammates, and that translates over to real life when one can get along with their co-workers and help others succeed in their jobs.”
Baronello has a long and bright future ahead of him, in and outside running; he is bound to achieve great things. If there is ever a blur seen in downtown Antioch, no, it is not the Flash, or a hallucination: it is Baronello on the run.
