For two seasons, Declan Higgins ’24 has been nothing short of remarkable as a runner on the Jesuit High School Sacramento varsity cross country team. Not only that, but in his time as a Marauder, Declan has set himself apart as one of the most adaptive and persistent students inside and outside of the classroom.

During his first two years at Jesuit, Declan played for the Team Sac and Jesuit basketball teams. When he didn’t make the cut junior year, he did not hang his head in defeat and give up; instead, he looked at the situation from a different angle and saw what he exceeded at during tryouts: running.

“I was playing basketball freshman and sophomore year, so I tried out for the varsity team,” Declan said. “I didn’t make it, but we ran a mile for conditioning and I found out I was pretty good at it, and I kind of liked it too. I just took a chance and started running for the team.”

Right away, Declan proved himself to Head Coach Tom Witzgall ’98 as an impeccable runner with a great mindset. He brings an attitude that refuses to give in, always pushing to reach higher and achieve more.

“My first impression of Declan was that he should slow down and turn around; it’s not usual for someone that hasn’t been training in distance running to go out and run eight or nine miles at 6:30 pace,” Coach Witzgall said. “I was wrong: Declan was capable of training with varsity cross country runners almost as soon as he joined the team. I was impressed by his physical ability to run fast and his mental toughness not to quit.”

Declan’s presence is undeniable; his determination and persistence has helped him become one of the fastest and most dependable runners on the cross country team, despite running competitively for such a short time.

“Declan has had a huge impact on the cross country team,” Coach Witzgall said. “Less than a year after joining the team and taking up distance running, he was the second individual in the Section championship. He was one of the most consistent runners on our team and always finished in our top five.”

The adaptability that brought Declan to cross country and to the success he found as a runner was the same perseverance that led to his accomplishments as an artist. 

“He is really good at throwing everything he has at whatever the problem is,” said AP Studio Art teacher Mr. Polo Lopez. “He has a different lens of how he sees a problem; there’s a lot of options to one problem and he is okay exploring those different options. I think that’s going to be super beneficial for life, for college, for whatever is next. I see a lot of success in what he does.”

Declan keeps going through any setbacks and challenges he faces. His unwillingness to surrender has allowed him to succeed, adapt, and create a new path for himself.

“Declan is a great example of someone whose path at Jesuit was not what he expected, but hopefully it was still a good path,” Coach Witzgall said. “He never planned on running track or cross country, but when other activities didn’t work out, he gave something new a try and found a new talent.”

The story Declan has shaped for himself changed drastically between his first and last year at Jesuit. His ability to overcome an obstacle and turn it into a positive has paved the road forward for him, culminating in his success on the cross country team and as an artist. He leaves Jesuit as an example to all, having shown the achievements that determination and versatility can bring.