Hanna Winter Hanna Winter thrives during the spring.

The La Reina senior is a standout track and field athlete. She’s also a dynamo in softball, another spring sport.

Although softball is her game of choice—she signed a scholarship to play second base and outfield with Stanford University despite never suiting up for the Regents in high school—she’s quite a force in track.

The track captain broke her own school record in the 200-meter dash in 25.44 seconds in a dual against Nordhoff earlier this season.

“It feels really good to have a career personal record,” Winter said before a Tuesday afternoon practice at Moorpark College’s Griffin Stadium.

“I hope to lower it again and be a league champ.”

The 18-year-old is also a threat in the 100 dash, the long jump and the 4x400 relay.

She finished the 100 in 12.18 seconds and soared to 17 feet, 10½ inches in the long jump, both career-best marks established during her sophomore season.

THINKING THINGS THROUGH—Hanna Winter, a senior at La Reina, prepares to fire off the block during practice at Moorpark College. Photos by IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers At last weekend’s Arcadia Invitational, Winter helped the 4x400 relay team finish the race in 4:07. Winter had a solid 57-second split as the relay team earned its best time as a unit.

Teammates appreciate Winter’s easygoing and personable nature.

“She’s really inspirational,” junior Marie Mitchell said. “At practice I want to be more like her—I push myself harder.”

Mitchell, who runs the 200, 400 and two relays, called Winter a “mentor.”

“She’s so friendly and optimistic,” Mitchell said. “She helps anyone who asks her questions. She’s so modest and humble.”

Mitchell and Winter are also in the same honors physics class. They work together to solve problems and break down complex concepts.

After a rocky junior campaign, Winter is picking it up this spring.

“ Training is significantly harder this year,” the senior said. “Coaches are cracking down hard on me. My times are dropping.”

The Regent’s also working on her block start in the 100. She’s trying to stay low on her first 20 meters while maintaining her velocity for the entire race.

In the 200, the senior’s trying to maintain speed throughout the race. She admitted that she has a tendency to slow down for the final 50 meters.

“I want to stay strong all the way through the end,” she said. “I definitely feel stronger in the 200. I’m starting to get more comfortable.”

Winter will have a chance to set more personal records at Saturday’s Russell Cup in Carpinteria.

This season, she wants to break 12 seconds in the 100, get in the 24-second range of the 200 and eclipse 18 feet in the long jump.

Winter’s foray into track began in the seventh grade with the Camarillo Cosmos. She’s been striking and scooping up softballs since age 7. She plays softball year-round with the So Cal Pumas Gold travel team.

The senior is balanced off the track.

Winter has a 4.5 grade-point average. Besides physics, she also takes honors courses in calculus and English. She’s in charge of publicity for the Human Rights Club on campus and is active in the culture club, too.

Winter volunteers at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks Fridays after school. The Regent also enjoys playing piano, and designs dresses for dances that her mother then sews.

The daughter of Bettina and Robert, Winter has an older sister, Megan, who starred in tennis for La Reina and now attends UC Irvine.

One of only five seniors for the La Reina track squad, Winter does everything she can to lead the Regents.

“There’s been a lot of teaching,” Winter said. “The majority of the team is freshmen. It’s hard to teach, but they’re starting to get it.

“In softball, there’s a small circle of people. Track is a big world. There are so many people at the meets. There’s so much diversity and all kinds of people everywhere. La Reina’s a small school. It’s interesting to expand your horizons this way.”