Cross Country, Track & Field
Favorite athlete: Devin Booker
Favorite team: Phoenix Suns
Favorite memory competing in sports: Winning my heat in the 800 by 0.01 seconds.
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: Sprinting in my first cross country race with no training and stopping midway with a side stitch, then having to limp over to the finish line with everyone waiting for me.
Music on Playlist: Tame Impala, Mac DeMarco, Justin Timberlake, Sublime, Oasis.
Future plans: To graduate college with a major in finance and minor in Spanish and travel the world creating short films.
Words to live by: “Treat everyone with kindness.”
One goal before turning 30: To achieve financial independence.
One thing people don’t know about me: I can do a standing backflip and juggle.
By GORDON GLANTZ
In just his second year of running cross country, Central Bucks West senior Harrison Cornwell has emerged at the front of the pack as both an athlete and as a leader.
A prime example was when the foundling middle school team showed up a recent high school practice. Coach John Mahoney, a teacher at CB West, was not able to get out to the warm-up period of the joint session, but it didn’t matter.
Cornwell, in typical fashion, had the situation under control.
“Harrison had already pulled the middle school kids aside, the seventh and eighth graders, and was showing them all of the drills that we do and how to warm up properly,” said the coach. “Apparently, he had already introduced himself to the kids
. He asked them what their names were and shook their hands. He’s just that kind of a kid. He did that completely on his own. I didn’t say, ‘Keep an eye out for these kids and run some drills.’ He just took that upon himself. That speaks very highly of his character and who he is as a person.”
From his perspective, Cornwell explained that he was just doing what needed to be done.
“I saw a big group of younger kids with their coach,” he said. “I just went up to them and asked if they were the middle school cross country team, and they said that they were, so I introduced myself. I asked them all their names. Then, I just showed them what we do to warm up. I went through all the stretches with them.
“A bunch of them knew my younger brother (Finn), too, or they were siblings of some of my friends, which was cool.”
Cornwell, a devout Christian, added that it just went along with his core belief system.
“I feel that when you treat people with kindness, it just makes the world a better place,” he explained. “You never know what someone is going through, and just simple acts can make their day.
“I’m a big religious guy. I lead our group prayers before our runs. I play the guitar for our worship team at church.”
Making the Change
A native of Arizona, where his father, Eric, grew up, Cornwell was more of a basketball player but decided to give track and field a go in the spring of his sophomore year by experimenting with various events.
The following year, he was ready to run, literally, by joining the cross country team as a junior.
The rest is history.
“He came out for the track team as a sophomore -- for spring track,” said Mahoney. “He was just trying to find a place to fit in. It’s kind of funny because he started off running the 400 and the pole vault. He was just kind of experimenting, to see what he wanted to do with the sport of track and field. He never even did any distance events.
“When he came out for cross country for his junior year, I thought, ‘OK, you can give it a try. We will see what happens.’ I thought that maybe he just wanted to get in shape for track. Then, he ended up running varsity for us and doing well. Now, he’s our top guy.”
So, literally, Cornwell is making up for lost time with every stride.
“Better late than never,” said Mahoney. “I think we both wish that, if we could go back in time, he could’ve ran for us all four years.”
Cornwell expressed gratitude that he promptly found his place in a new athletic endeavor, making it his own.
He credits his mother, Sarah, for pushing him toward cross country.
“I had been playing basketball for, pretty much, my entire life,” said Cornwell. “I just got to the point where I just realized that I couldn’t continue. I just tried the spring (track) team, but I didn’t do too well. When fall came around, my mom kept pushing me to try cross country, so I gave it a try and I really enjoyed it.”
Beyond enjoyment, it seemed to be the ideal match for his skillset.
“Part of it is that I’m just built for running,” said Cornwell. “I don’t have, like, a football frame. I definitely have more of a running frame. From there, I just try my best.”
A year ago, Cornwell made districts. The goal now is states.
“Qualifying for the state championship is always a challenge,” said Mahoney, “but I think that would be a good goal for him.
“He definitely has a shot at it, especially when you consider he’s still relatively new to the sport and he still keeps improving on a weekly basis. It certainly wouldn’t shock me if he improves to the point where, come late October, he’s vying for one of those individual spots and gets to the state championship. It’s certainly a possibility.”
Cornwell, the eldest of three closely-knit athletic siblings (sister Amelia is a junior volleyball player, while Finn pretty much does it all), feels it is within his reach.
“I think states would be the biggest goal,” he said. “I’m not sure what the (qualifying) time is this year. It usually fluctuates. Making states would definitely be an awesome experience.
“Last year, I made it to districts but I was, like, 30 seconds off (the qualifying time for states.”
Making It Count
Outside of running, Cornwell enjoys documenting trips with short videos from his footage.
“I’ve been doing it for a few years and I really enjoy it,” he said, adding that his work can be seen on TikTok (@harrisoncornwell).
Cornwell also carries a 4.2 GPA and has his eye on schools in the ACC. While Virginia tops his list, he is not ruling out the likes of Duke or North Carolina or Clemson or Wake Forest.
“I don’t think he is going to run at the collegiate level, but I think he will always continue to run,” said Mahoney. “He enjoys it too much. Running for him is going to be a lifelong sport.”
Added Cornwell: “The schools I’m applying to are pretty high up (in Division I) for running, and that is above my level.”
Cornwell hopes to major in finance, with a goal of gaining financial independence, and also minor in Spanish.
As it is, he is the president of his school’s National Spanish Honor Society.
“My family has done mission trips for the past five years,” said Cornwell, adding that the mission work is through Doylestown-based Bold Hope, where his mother serves on the board. “Four of the years have been in the Dominican Republic, and everyone there speaks Spanish. Understanding it has really helped me to connect with them. I really enjoy having conversations in Spanish. It’s just a really cool experience.”
The clear leader of the cross country team, he is also president of the Bucks Finance Club.
“He’s a great kid,” said Mahoney. “He’s the definition of a student-athlete. He’s applying to some really impressive colleges. He has some big goals – athletically and academically.
“He works hard, but he is also a great leader. Everybody on the team really respects him. He listens to everybody, and he just does a great job of creating that culture of a team atmosphere and a team environment.
“It just comes naturally to him, being a leader. Being that it is only his second year. We don’t have official captains, but I think everybody on the team views him as a captain.”
While extremely humble, Cornwell relishes his leadership role and doesn’t shy away from what comes naturally.
“I just act like myself,” he said. “I’m just a real ‘people person,’ and I can really get along with anyone. I think people respect that. I include everyone, I try not to leave anyone out. I try to treat people with kindness because, at the end of day, everyone should just try to work together.”
