For Joyce Li, her senior year at Lynbrook High School will be the end of a four-year journey, albeit one that began unexpectedly, but soon became a place of belonging, confidence, and accomplishment. Previously a soccer player, Joyce only chose to try track after her friend’s encouragement. It started as a casual switch — now it’s a defining part of her high school experience.
“My friend wanted me to try it, thinking I would love the fun community. We did cross country in middle school, and so he knew I always enjoyed running.” Joyce said.
In her time in track, Joyce has competed in everything from relays to sprints, hurdles, and even jumps. But two events remain her favorite.
“I really enjoy the 4×100, I feel like it’s less scary as a team,” Joyce said. “I don’t really get nervous for that event. But another event I like is the 100 meter hurdles, because it feels satisfying when I complete the race without falling.”
The hurdles became a test of her resilience. In her sophomore year, Joyce fell at the last hurdle of her first hurdles race. In her junior year, the exact same thing happened.. But she refused to give up. Later races finally brought her the clean runs she’d been working toward.
Joyce’s proudest moment, however, didn’t come from an individual win but a team breakthrough. At her sophomore-year SCVAL qualifiers, running the 4×100 relay in heavy rain, Joyce and her teammates were seeded last. Against the odds, they executed clean handoffs, ran with determination, which placed them third and allowed them to advance to CCS.
“I just remember being soaked and freezing cold” Joyce said. “But placing third or fourth made all the work worth it.”
That’s not the only reason Joyce loves track too. The victories on the track are inseparable from the bonds built off it. Practices and meets created a sense of family among teammates, one that carried her through the challenges of Lynbrook’s competitive academic culture.
“Track gave me a break from everything else,” Joyce said. “Even when I was having a bad day, people on the team were always there to cheer me up. It feels like a big family and the community is probably the sole reason why I show up for practices and everything, because I do care about the people.”
Beyond the races, hurdles, and medals, Joyce’s high school track career has been about something more lasting: finding joy in the journey and the people who made it meaningful. While Joyce doesn’t plan to continue track competitively in college, she carries with her lessons in persistence, balance, and community.
“At the end of the day, if you’re not trying to go D1, just have fun with it,” Joyce said. “Work hard, but don’t be too hard on yourself.”
Teens of Bay Area 
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