Cross Country/Track & Field
Favorite athlete: Cole Hocker
Favorite team: Philadelphia Union
Favorite memory competing in sports: Winning the 2024 Cross Country District championship as a team, something Lower Moreland boys had not done for 13 years.
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: Falling down a hill at Hershey in the pouring rain.
Music on playlist: Future, Tame Impala, Dominic Fike, The Kid Laroi
Future plans: Obtain a degree in mechanical engineering and work in renewable energy or government.
Words to live by: “Never let the fear of failure stop you from trying.”
One goal before turning 30: Get involved with Engineers Without Borders.
One thing people don’t know about me: I play the guitar.
By GORDON GLANTZ
While no one will confuse Lower Moreland with some of the Gotham-like schools in the area, transferring there as a freshman from a smaller private Christian-focused school in the borough of Bryn Athyn was a bit of a culture shock for Trey Henry.
Now a senior, Henry recalls the feeling and celebrates how he rose to the occasion.
“It was terrifying, but it was the best decision I ever made,” said Henry. “I have made so many close friends. I have met so many new people and have been able to try so many new things.”
High on that list for Henry was distance running, which he switched over to after playing mainly soccer all of his life.
“In the summer of my freshman year, I tried out for both the cross country and the soccer teams,” he recalled, adding that he had some running experience with his father. “There were some nice kids on the soccer team, but I just fell in love with the people on the cross country team. They were so supportive and a fun group to be around.
“Going into a new school, all I wanted was a good group of friends.”
While he also ran indoor and outdoor track, cross country became Henry’s main focus. Just last year, as a junior, Henry was a member of the squad that broke 13-year drought by winning the team title at Districts.
For his part, Henry placed as the top finisher for the Lions, and fifth overall.
“That was just an incredible moment, when I crossed the line,” he said. “That was just a really special race.”
Major Setback
Henry went on to states and then enjoyed indoor and outdoor success as a junior, but then came a major setback in the summer, as he developed patella tendonitis that put him completely on the shelf for the next few months.
“It was July 12th, I think,” said Henry. “I was at Villanova University for a weeklong engineering camp. I had to wake up at 5 a.m. every day to go on my runs. I was on a 6-mile run, and I suddenly felt this real sharp pain in my knee.
“I took the next day off, went back the next day, and it was still there. I talked to my coach about it. I took a week off. I came back and tried again, but it was still there. I was taking anti-inflammatories and was icing it and all of that. I kept trying it, but it was still there. I got it checked out and it was diagnosed as patella tendonitis.”
With that diagnosis, dreams of picking up where he left off as a junior were shelved, at least temporarily.
At this point, Henry is at the end of a long comeback trail. He has begun running 3-4 miles a day after grueling physical therapy.
“I’m doing everything I can, every day,” said Henry. “I’m stretching it. I’m doing strengthening and lifting. It helped me to build my self-reliance and to overcome challenges. Ultimately, though, it’s all out of my control.”
There is cautious optimism about a return this fall.
Said coach Ted Miller: “He has actually been able to get in a few decent runs. He might – might – be able to run for us at districts (October 24), but we’ll see. I don’t want to see him risk anything.”
Henry, though, was a bit more reluctant to put a specific timetable on it.
“We’ll see if I’m able to get a race in by the end of the season, but it just might be indoor (track),” he said. “It’s been pretty tough, coming off of last year’s big wins and stuff. I had really big expectations, and it has been really disappointing, but I have accepted it.
“Even if I can’t have the type of season that I wanted. I can still help my teammates have the best seasons that they can have.”
That equates to being the best teammate and leader possible.
“I still come to practice every day,” said Henry. “During the meets, I time them and help them get to where they need to be. I talk to them before the race and after the race.”
Making an Impression
Miller, in his first year at Lower Moreland, has had a unique experience with Henry since replacing longtime coach Greg Green.
Although he has not yet seen Henry in action, Miller has caught his act and has been impressed.
This began with voluntary summer practices, which have sparse attendance.
“Even though he had tendonitis, he was still there every time,” said Miller. “He would ride the bike and lead the stretches, the sit ups and pushups and all that stuff. He was leading everything, which is kind of cool.”
Miller has added that he has seen the pain, emotional and physical, on his captain’s face.
“He has been working to get healthy all season,” said Miller. “He has been battling to get back, but I really think that he will be healthy soon. All he wants to do is contribute. He is trying to fight through the pain but also be smart about it.”
In the meantime, Henry has become like an unpaid assistant coach.
“He’s going through all of this, but he has just remained so positive,” said Miller. “He has gone to every single meet. He is the one who takes down all the times for me. He has volunteered to travel and just do whatever he can to help.
“He will come from physical therapy to the school, even if it’s for 20 minutes, and then go home. He just wants to help me or help the team by just doing anything he can do.”
And that includes open and honest dialogue about what has been done in the past under the tutelage of Green.
Henry has become a sounding board for the new coach of all cross country and track teams at Lower Moreland.
“He has been so helpful,” said Miller. “I go to him and ask what they did or didn’t do in the past, and what did or didn’t work, and he has just been so honest with me.”
Because of the way Henry has handled himself, Miller added that it has had an impression on the whole squad.
“He is the captain and the leader, and everyone respects him,” said Miller. “We would not be the same team without him. It’s kind of funny, because he’s not scoring points. He is there every single day. Some people will miss a day for something, but he is just so dedicated.
“He is just one of those kids. Everyone likes him. He doesn’t try to be popular or anything, but everyone wants to be friends with him. He’s just one of those All-American and well-rounded nice guys. It’s hard not to like him, basically. He’s well-respected.”
According to Henry, it is a case of support on a two-way street, as he is giving his teammates everything they have given him since the injury.
“It’s a hard sport, cross country,” he said. “You do not get through this sport alone. Even if I’m racing, I try to be supportive and they have been so supportive of me trying to come back. Every small step that I make, they are cheering me on. Everyone has your back.”
Sensing Henry’s drive to succeed, Miller sees a level of maturity that allows him to put his personal frustration aside and be a vital member of the Lions.
“I really don’t know how he is able to do it, considering that he is so competitive,” said Miller. “He has been one of the highest point scorers and No. 1 runner in a lot of races last year.
“I’ve coached at two Division I programs (Temple and New Mexico State), and I’ve just never seen an athlete like that and a leader like that. I’m just beyond impressed.”
Breaking Through
Henry, who excels in the classroom with a 5.57 weighted GPA, confesses that he did not always exude self-confidence.
Then, late in his sophomore year and into his junior year, Henry had a moment of reckoning that shaped who he is now as a senior.
“I began to realize that this mentality was holding me back,” said Henry. “I decided to put myself out there more. I ran for class treasurer. I ran for treasurer of the National Honor Society. I signed up for school events. These were really scary things for me at the time. I realized that, if you try and don’t get this, it’s always better than not trying. You will never know success if you don’t at least try. I have so many things in my life that I’m so grateful for. That’s just something that I try to take to heart.”
As it was, Henry won both treasurer elections and also combined with other students to form what is called the Lower Moreland Bridge Initiative, where upperclassmen partner with and mentor freshmen.
Despite many interests from his schedule of AP classes, Henry has decided on a career in the engineering realm, but with an eye on serving the public good.
“Engineers can use math and science to tackle real world problems, like climate change,” he said. “It’s something I feel very passionate about. I also follow politics very closely. I loved my AP Government class last year. I would love to get into policy making.
“I thought to myself, ‘What am I good at? What do I really want to do?’ I love my math and sciences courses. The biggest things for me are that I want to help people and make a big impact. I think that engineering is something that can have a big impact on people’s lives.”
While he has applied to several schools, the top three on his list are Villanova, Lafayette and Swarthmore.
“All are liberal arts schools, but also with good engineering programs,” said Henry, who wanted to thank his parents (Bronwen and Jeremy), coaches (Green and Miller) and his teammates.
Time Management
Although he listens to rap and alternative pop music, Henry started playing guitar in 8th grade, playing around the campfire in the style of Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz.
“It has been a good outlet for stress, and allows me to let out some of my emotions,” he explained, adding he has a place on the team at Swarthmore, pending acceptance, but that Lafayette and Villanova would be reaches.
In terms of time management, which includes the solitude of rehabbing while balancing cross country with student government (NHS, Bridge Initiative) and college applications, Henry says his just stays on top of it before it gets on top of him.
“I have a really organized calendar, where I keep track of everything,” he said. “I also get things done ahead of time, in case new things pop up. It is a lot, but I have fun doing these things.”
