With the deafening crack of the starting pistol, the runners shoot out of their starting blocks in the 100 meter race. Within a matter of 11.75 seconds Cameron Hodges’s (‘24) race is over. With four years of hard work and dedication as a member of South’s sprint team, Hodges has risen to the top of the team. He has become a crucial member of the team in the 100m and 200m sprints and is a pillar on their 4 x 100 meters and 4 x 200 meters relay teams.
Over his time running for South, Hodges has developed incredible speed. He has a 11.75 second 100 meter and a 23.74 second 200 meter. These times put him in the top 50th percentile as a sprinter in NJ.
Within the team Hodges is known for always giving 100%. He always “pushes through towards the end,” said Coach Amirah Muneer, head coach of spring Track and Field.
But to get where he is, Hodges has faced lots of adversity, starting with his reason to begin running. “Back in my sophomore year, I dislocated my knee at the end of soccer season, so I did track as a way to get back in shape and get used to running again,” said Hodges.
After facing a serious injury, instead of taking time off to relax, Hodges pushed forward. Within months of his injury he returned to training to get his knee back to 100% for soccer season.
His first few weeks running spring track in the heat were difficult, but he quickly became addicted to the process and began seeing improvement. He realized he had a knack for track and dedicated himself to getting better.
Hodges began training according to his plan every day regardless of weather, how he was feeling or what was going on in his life. “I run a mile everyday at a five minute 30 second pace and then I do some core,” said Hodges.
This hard work and determination has helped him get to where he is today as an inspiration for younger runners.
“Cameron is a good leader because he’s always there and he’s always helping everyone out,” said teammate Caua Gomez (‘25). Hodges hopes to help turn these younger runners into leaders and ensure that the track program is in good hands for the years to come.
As Hodges’s high school chapter comes to an end, it also means an end to his track journey. Hodges will be attending UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business and majoring in Business Administration.
When asked about what he would like to say to future Pirates who are thinking about running track, he said, “If you’re thinking about joining track then join because it’s so fun and a great way to meet new people.”
