“When I first started out, [my teammates] were really inspiring to run with,” Garrison said. “I felt like I got along with everyone, and I wanted to be out there with them so I kept improving and persevering.”
One of Garrison’s landmark achievements in cross country happened at the end of his sophomore season when he first broke 20 minutes. Then in his junior season, he broke 19 minutes, and one month later broke 18 minutes.
“When I first broke under 20 minutes, everyone was improving that day,” Garrison recalls. “Everyone was just happy with the times they were getting.”
He also received Second Team All-South Puget Sound League for cross country. These achievements earned Garrison “Most Improved” on the Orting cross country team for two seasons in a row. This coming fall, Garrison has been nominated as the cross country team captain. Even after all this personal growth and improvement, Garrison likes to talk about the team’s successes.
Garrison receives Eagle Scout Award |
“You can still have a team community even though it’s a very individual sport,” Garrison said. “It’s a lot of encouraging others, pumping each other up for the races.”
Garrison is also a member of the school jazz band, concert band, National Honors Society, Tri-M Music Honors Society, Spanish Club, and Knowledge Bowl. Outside of school, Garrison is an active member of Boys Scouts and recently achieved his Eagle Scout award. To complete his Eagle Scout, Garrison chose to help build baseball benches for Orting Parks and Recreation.
“[Garrison] sets an example on managing a lot of activities,” head cross country and track coach Eric Johnson said. “He manages them all extremely well, he’s always spot on, he knows when it’s time to study and buckle down.”
Musical talents also stand out for Garrison, as he earned first chair tenor saxophone in the school jazz band. Over the years, he has switched amongst the clarinet, bass clarinet, and finally landed on tenor saxophone. As a member of Tri-M Music Honors Society, Garrison and his fellow classmates participated in music education for elementary students.
“We hosted a way to introduce elementary school kids to music,” Garrison said. “We showed them different instruments and how to play them.”
Garrison, right, during a jazz band performance |
As a junior, Garrison enrolled in a handful of AP courses and maintains a 3.8 GPA. He received an AP Scholar award from the College Board, because he earned a score of three or higher across multiple AP tests. He is currently preparing to take the SAT for college placement scores. Garrison desires to pursue a career as a pilot and has decided he will either join the Air Force ROTC, or attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a specialized aviation school in Florida.
“I like to travel a lot,” Garrison said. “I think it would be a fun time to be a pilot…I want to see the world.”
Coach Johnson admires Garrison’s attitude and recognizes the hard work he has put in to running over the years. Dependable, communicator/listener, and sets an example are just a few of the characteristics that Coach Johnson uses to describe Garrison, and he does it all with a smile on his face.
“When I think of him, I always think of a big smile,” Coach Johnson said. “Even though he has all these obligations, he seems to have the time allocation down. Everything he does, he does it well.”
Of all the benefits of sports and activities, Garrison mostly enjoys the social aspects, getting to spend time with friends and make new memories.
“It’s so fun to be on that team, hanging out with friends and meeting new friends all the time,” “I always want to be there, it’s a fun time.”
Garrison, left, with cross country teammates |
Garrison built baseball benches for his Eagle Project |