Senior sprinter Kambryn Millar has found more than medals and fast times at Sayre High School. She has found a second family and a place where hard work, discipline and belief in herself are tested every day on the track.
Millar, a 12th-grader for the Sayre girls track team, anchors a sprint group that features her in the 100-meter dash as well as the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 relays. She said what keeps her coming back to the track each day is the bond she has with her teammates and the shared pursuit of improvement.
“What I enjoy most about being a member of a team is the sense of belonging and support,” Millar said. “Everyone is working toward the same goal, and it feels good to know you’re not doing it alone.”
That sense of support starts with her coach. Millar said she draws daily inspiration from Coach Pugh, who has pushed her and her teammates to new levels.
“Someone who inspires me is my coach, Coach Pugh,” she said. “He always pushes me and my teammates to our hardest because he believes in us so much, and he is also just a great person in general on top of being a great coach.”
Millar’s competitive fire does not turn off when she is not on the track. Between events at meets, she said she stays locked in by encouraging others.
“Between events I like to cheer on my teammates that are competing,” Millar said. “One of the biggest things athletics has taught me to use later on is discipline. You learn to show up, work hard, and keep going even when you don’t feel like it.”
Away from track, Millar’s favorite part of the school day is her cosmetology class, where she is taught by her favorite teacher, Mr. Helton. She said that class has helped shape what she wants to do once her days at Sayre are finished.
“My favorite subject is my cosmetology class, and my favorite teacher is my cosmetology instructor, Mr. Helton,” Millar said. “My plan after graduating is to move to a bigger city and to continue my cosmetology career.”
Even with clear goals for her future, Millar is still thinking about new challenges as an athlete. She said there is one event she would love to tackle.
“An event I’ve always wanted to try is pole vault,” she said.
As her senior season unfolds, Millar said she is focused on one standard above all: progress.
“The best advice I’ve been given about being a track athlete is to focus on improving yourself, not comparing yourself to others,” she said. “In track, it’s easy to look at someone else and feel discouraged, but what really matters is beating your own personal best and growing over time.”
