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Mount St. Charles' senior Rita Donohoe (left) poses with fellow classmate and good friend Cassie Roberge at the outdoor state meet this past spring
Mount St. Charles has transformed into a quality track and field program the last few years and athletes like Rita Donohoe are among those responsible for their success. During the indoor season, Donohoe was one of the primary reasons the Mounties posted an undefeated league season and captured the Dwyer Division and the Class C championships. In both meets, she was the individual titlist in the 55-meter dash and a runner-up in the 300. Donohoe capped off her senior year by winning the 300 hurdles at the outdoor state meet where she ran a personal-best time of 44.70 seconds. She was also third in the 100 with a 12.62 clocking.
What would you consider the highlight of your high school career?
The highlight of my career was undoubtedly my indoor season of senior year. Our team had lost a few key athletes, and we were ranked very low against other schools in terms of what coaches were predicting. However, our small team rallied together and proved that we were a capable and determined group. We went undefeated in the regular season and won both the division and class championships. This was unheard of for the Mount track team in years past, and we were able to demonstrate how talented such a small team could be.
What was your most memorable performance?
My most memorable performance was my race at the 2013 Outdoor States in the 300-meter hurdles. I had trained hard all season for this race and was consistently ranked first, but I knew that everything came down to this one particular race. I was thrilled with my performance, as I PR’d and became the state champion for the first time in my career.
What was your most difficult obstacle to overcome?
The most difficult obstacle I had to overcome was more of an obstacle for my entire team. We were ranked very low in preseason standings by other coaches and the league, and we had to overcome these doubts and poor rankings by pushing ourselves incredibly hard at every meet. Each member sacrificed and pushed our team to win two championships.
What advice would you give to younger athletes?
I think young athletes should stay focused and dedicated to the sports they play because at the end of high school, some of the closest bonds and best memories will be made with your teammates, regardless of the team’s wins and losses.
What will you miss most?
I will miss all of my teammates and coaches and spending everyday with them after school and at meets, as well as the friends I made on other teams during the season.
What are your future plans?
I will be attending Tufts University this fall and running track and field there. I am currently undecided on a major, but I am interested in studying public health and medicine.
What influence has your coach (or coaches) had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
My coaches have influenced me greatly over the past years. They have taught me the value of hard work, and that talent is inferior to dedication to and passion for a sport. They have also taught me lessons in sportsmanship and teamwork, and that winning isn’t always the goal of competing.
Who would you like to say Thank You?
First, I would like to say thank you to my parents who supported me throughout 6 years of competition and who made me a priority in their hectic schedules. Secondly, I would like to thank my outdoor coach, Anthony Gonsalves, for putting so much time into training us and making sure we were always prepared for competition. Secondly, I would like to thank my indoor coaches, Paul Jacques and Evan Diohep. These two coaches pushed my teammates and me to our full potentials and they devoted countless hours to working with us and researching competition. Finally, I would like to thank my teammates, who pushed me and supported me for several years and always made practices enjoyable. I can’t thank them enough for allowing our team to bring home big wins. I would especially like to thank my best friends and teammates, Cassie Roberge and James Mullaney, who were always at my side on the track, making me laugh and pushing me to be better every season.
For Rita's profile, click here.