RE Log Spring 2023

38 Ransom Everglades LOG SPRING 2023 FIRST TEAM David “Chuli” Serra ’24, cross country SECOND TEAM Jesse Hellring ’25 golf Jackson Langer ’24 golf Julia Lewkowitz ’24 volleyball Sophia Linfield ’26 cross country Kobe Lopez ’23 golf THIRD TEAM Patricia Drulard ’24 cross country Elise Echarte ’23 volleyball Nohan Gomez ’25 swimming (200 free relay) Diego de Lope ’23 swimming (200 free relay) Coren O’Brien ’23 swimming (200 free relay) Victor Perez ’23 swimming (200 free relay) Kiera Rampersad ’25 swimming (100 butterfly) George Wood-Leness ’24 swimming cross country All-County RE Athletes for Fall Sports RE Sports Serra Sibling Success David “Chuli” Serra ’24 runs to the spotlight For years, David “Chuli” Serra ’24 grew accustomed to watching the athletic success of his big sister. Kathryn Serra ’23 was a standout football player as a nine- year-old on Key Biscayne, a national champion in obstacle course racing as a young teen, a state champion in crew as a sophomore and junior, and last year’s co-Overall Outstanding Athlete at Ransom Everglades. In the last year, David Serra has emerged from his sister’s shadow – and he’s done it with record-setting speed. After breaking the RE school record in the 800 meters as a sophomore on the track and field team, David Serra finished second at the Florida High School Athletic Association Cross Country State Finals in Class 2A last November as a junior. That followed his gold-medal finish at the district championship, where he also led RE’s boys’ cross country team to its first district title in four years. At the state final, David Serra finished just 1.4 seconds behind a graduating senior from the Bolles School while dropping nearly 39 seconds from his winning time at the district championship. The finish in 15 minutes, 27.00 seconds was the best by any runner from South Florida in any division. And as this issue went to press in early March, he was off and running in the spring track and field season, eager to surpass the times he achieved last year in breaking the 800 record and winning individual district titles in the 800 and 1,600. Serra’s general state of mind: “I cannot wait for the next competition,” he said. The Serra siblings’ enthusiasm is evident in how hard each works, RE’s Director of Upper School Athletics Scott Berman said. “Their work ethic, what they do in the weight room, what they do on their own, how regimented they are to achieve their goals – it’s a credit to them,” he said. “They push themselves to get better every day, and they are not going to let anything stand in the way.” Both have elevated their teammates: Kathryn, who also plays on the girls’ basketball team, won rowing state titles in both four- and two-person boats, and David Serra led the boys’ track and field team to its first district title in 25 years last spring under coach Mike Becker. (At the cross country championships under coach Don Kappelman last fall, Ethan Sullivan ’25 finished third in the boys’ race in 18:01.39 and Sophia Linfield ’26 earned second in the girls’ race in 20:06.83, helping RE’s girls to fourth overall.) Kathryn Serra recently committed to continue rowing at Harvard University; David Serra attended the February signing ceremony in the Anderson gymnasium and presented her with a bouquet of roses. He said he has been inspired by Kathryn since the days they played on the same youth football team – when she routinely beat him in running drills. “Kathryn has been such a crucial part to my growth as an athlete but also as a person. Watching Kathryn’s hard work and determination to her craft pay off has made me embrace these exact traits and ‘go all in’ to my running career,” he said. “... I ammost proud of breaking the school record for the 800 meters my sophomore year – which I am looking forward to breaking again. I will be even more proud when I break the 1600-meter record this year.” David Serra ’24 Kathryn Serra ’23