Salute To Seniors: Brandon McGuire

(Brandon takes 3rd in the High Hurdles at the Great Southwest Classic-photo by Alan Versaw)

Name: Brandon McGuire

School: Raymond S. Kellis HS

While Brandon was the returning State Champion from 2016, this time he took his focus straight to post-season. Back in April, at the Sun Angel Classic, Brandon took victories in both the Hurdles races, even setting an AZ #1 time and personal best of 37.04 in the Intermediates by 4 tenths of a second. Fast forward two months to the Great Southwest Classic, he took 5th overall in the High Hurdles with a PR of 14.10 and also represented Arizona as part of the record-setting Shuttle Hurdle Relay team.

What was your most memorable race?

My most memorable race was Sun Angel 2017. I picked this moment because it taught me to be patient as a runner. All year long I was running 38s and 39s. I was extremely frustrated but then at Sun Angel I was able to run 37.04.

Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?

My biggest competition over my four years was myself, during my high school I never had a solid coaching staff so staying motivated to remain on top was always the most difficult.

What was your greatest accomplishment?

My greatest accomplishment during my career was doing well in school while being an athlete.

If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?

What I would change about my career is not to be slow...

What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

The most difficult obstacle for me was to overcome the distractions on the track and at practice.

What will you miss the most?

I'll miss competing with the friends I've made and sharing memories with them because they truly shaped me into a better athlete.

What advice would you give to younger athletes?

My advice to younger athletes is if you want to continue your athletic career in college do well in school first then perform well in your sport. It'll all be worth it when you receive a full ride.

What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?

My hurdle coach taught me to ignore the little things, stay focused on the big picture and just to have fun.

What are your college plans?

My college plans are to attend the University of Wyoming.

Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?

I would like to stay thank you to my mom, for paying for anything related to track even if financial it wasn't feasible, and for always supporting me and pushing me to do better. I would always like to thank my grandma for pushing me at a young age to do more academically for getting me interested in books and school clubs, even though she passed away she still pushes me to do better.