This cross-country season was one for the books, as the 2020 season’s diligent cohort proved they are one of the best sports teams at North Atlanta. But a strong team is nothing without strong leadership, which is where the Dubs tip their hat to senior captain Ethan Curnow. Curnow has proven himself to be one of the team’s top runners as well as a hardworking and dependable team captain. His valuable skills and commitment to the team have allowed this group of athletes to thrive, make an impressive run to state, and have one of their best seasons to date.

Curnow’s work with the North Atlanta cross country team began before he got to high school, when he joined the team in 8th grade as a student at Sutton Middle School. The bus rides after school proved worth it, as he solidified himself as an athletic powerhouse with the Warriors early on. The strength in Curnow’s running times speaks for themselves, recording a 4:30 mile time and a 16:07 5k. During his senior season, Curnow worked hard to significantly shorten his three-mile time, becoming the team’s top runner. “I became a lot more confident and got more consistent this year,” he said. “Through a lot of hard work I was able to get into that extra gear and be the strongest runner I could be.” 

Curnow’s success story has not all been smooth sailing. In his junior year, he began to suffer from a heart condition called bradycardia. The ailment caused Curnow to have a significantly lower heart rate and forced Curnow to step away from running for several months. Angry and disappointed that he would miss his track season, Curnow took advantage of the time off. “I made the most of a tough situation,” he said. “I began to focus more on maintaining my health and began slowly adding miles to my training. It was a process of building up my body and ultimately I feel like I came back even stronger because of that setback.” 

Curnow has helped his team as a whole overcome several obstacles this year, including the disconnect during the COVID pandemic and rebuilding team chemistry. He made sure to reach out to new members of the team and to lead captains’ practices to get to know the other leaders better. His teammates value his work ethic and leadership skills during this time, as they know Curnow is a driving force behind their success as a whole. “Ethan helped us work together during every race and practice we have.” said senior teammate Foard Martin. “He always pushes each of us to work harder. On a personal note, I have to say that he was a big reason why this year I became the best runner I could be.” 

Curnow’s leadership and grit throughout the 2020 season have proven to be an essential factor in the team’s success, and his teammates and coaches have learned — through their team leader — exactly what it means to be a Warrior.