All-star athlete Harriet Barber sets records at Manchester High School Central

FIELD MEET. JONATHAN MARSHALL HAS MORE. IT HASN’T EVER REALLY BEEN ABOUT PLACEMENT TO ME. WHEN SHE GETS SET IN THE STARTING BLOCK, CENTRAL’S HARRIET BARBER SAYS IT’S ALL ABOUT COMPETING WITH HERSELF. IT’S WHAT I FIND FUN ABOUT IT, AND I LIKE FEELING UNDER PRESSURE BECAUSE THEN WHEN I COME OUT OUT OF IT, I’M LIKE, OKAY, I DID IT. SHE’S JUST A MANCHESTER KID WHO HAD BIG GOALS, BIG EXPECTATIONS FOR HERSELF. BUT THE THE WORK ETHIC BEHIND IT. BARBER HAS ALIGNED BIG GOALS WITH BIG ACCOMPLISHMENTS. SHE’S AN OUTDOOR TRACK CHAMP IN THE 204 HUNDRED WHILE WINNING AN INDOOR TITLE IN THE 300 METER DASH. BARBER IS THE STATE RECORD HOLDER IN THE 304 HUNDRED, HAVING TOP PLACEMENT WAS AN AFTERTHOUGHT WHEN SHE STARTED RUNNING IN THE SEVENTH GRADE. I REMEMBER I WOULD GET LAST PLACE LIKE I WAS SO TINY AND SKINNY. BARBER HAS GONE FROM LAST PLACE TO D1 TRACK. I SENT A LETTER TO ONE OF THE UCONN COACHES LIKE A REAL LETTER THAT I HAD WRITTEN OUT, BUT THEY JUST DIDN’T RECEIVE IT AT ALL. BUT I KEPT TRYING BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, I HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THIS TEAM. MY MOM RAN THERE, MY DAD WENT THERE. A TON OF MY AUNTS WENT THERE. BARBER CONTINUED TO FILL OUT QUESTIONNAIRES BEFORE FINALLY GETTING A RESPONSE FROM THE HUSKIES LAST SUMMER, COMMITTING TO UCONN. UM, IT’S IT HELPS LEGITIMIZE TRACK AND FIELD. UM, NOT JUST AT THE SCHOOL WITH THE ATHLETES IN THE SCHOOL, BUT IN THE CITY. IT’S DEFINITELY LIKE A DREAM OF MINE. SO, UM, I’M REALLY HAPPY THAT I COULD MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE ON THE TEAM. SHOUT OUT