On Cleveland’s east side, before there were championship medals or record books, there were neighborhood races. Asya Reynolds remembers lining up against the boys in her neighborhood — no shoes, no starting blocks, no trophy, except pride. And she remembers what they said after she crushed the competition: “That girl is so fast.”

Her mother, a former hurdler herself, told her that her speed was a family trait, and there on the pavement and open lots, the evidence was undeniable. Track and field would eventually carry Reynolds far beyond those early sprints. It would take her across state lines, into packed stadiums, onto national podiums and now, it takes her to the helm of Western Reserve Academy’s Track & Field program.

What’s kept her connected to the sport over time isn’t just the medals and memories. It’s the culture, the community and the doors it opened.

“I’d never left Cleveland until track,” she said. “Running kept me focused, grounded when I was going through things.” Through the sport, she traveled to places like Virginia Beach and beyond, experiences that widened her world and sharpened her ambition.

At Shaker Heights High School, Reynolds announced herself early, winning a state championship as a freshman in the 4x400 relay and claiming an indoor state title in the long jump the following year. She later transferred to Brush High School, where she was named Track MVP, served as team captain and rewrote the record books in the 100m hurdles, long jump and high jump — marks she still holds in the jumping events. A two-time state champion and three-time High School All-American, she was as versatile as she was dominant. She even earned All-League honors in volleyball, serving as captain and MVP her senior year.

Her collegiate career only deepened that versatility. At Michigan State University, Reynolds competed at the Division I level in the heptathlon and pentathlon — ultimate tests of range and resilience — along with hurdles, relays, jumps and sprints. She became a Big Ten Heptathlon Champion, earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors and Second-Team All-America recognition, and still stands as Michigan State’s all-time leading scorer in both the heptathlon and pentathlon. She also came heartbreakingly close to First-Team All-America honors in the pentathlon in 2020, entering the NCAA Indoor Championships ranked among the top eight in the nation, only to have the meet canceled due to COVID-19 just as competition was set to begin. But the good memories outweigh any lingering disappointment. Years later, she still remembers one of her favorite days in uniform: competing in the pentathlon and then running a 55-second split in the 4x400 at the Big Ten meet. A staggering feat to anyone with passing knowledge of the sport, and one she joyfully summarizes as “literally the best day ever.”

After completing her undergraduate degree, Reynolds transferred to the University of Georgia for graduate school, where she again competed at the national level in the heptathlon. She earned First-Team All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and recorded one of the top heptathlon scores in program history, ranking sixth all-time at Georgia.

But for all her accolades and expertise, Reynolds didn’t immediately see coaching in her future. In college, she occasionally helped with the youth track clinics, something she enjoyed but didn’t yet recognize as a calling. It wasn’t until she began assisting with the outdoor jump events at WRA that the work truly clicked. 

“I started working one-on-one with the athletes and it felt like it just made sense,” she described. She found joy in watching student-athletes lean into growth — showing up to practice, asking questions, chasing marginal gains. “It’s exciting to see them want to get better and then actually put in the extra work.”

Reynold’s coaching philosophy is grounded in accountability. It’s the first quality she names when asked what she values most in student-athletes.

“Accountability speaks to so much,” she explained. “Coming to practice prepared. Showing up on time. Being there for each other. Working hard, on and off the field.”

Her goals extend beyond performance metrics. With a degree in Human Development and Family Studies, a certificate in nonprofit management and leadership, and training underway to become a Certified Behavioral Technician for children with autism, Reynolds approaches coaching as holistic development. “I want to shape them into more than just good track and field athletes,” she shared. “I want them to be good humans, too.”

Reynolds also believes profoundly in the mental side of sport. “I’ll tell my athletes that sports are 90 percent mental,” she said. “If you don’t think you’re going to be able to do something, you won’t be successful.” The hunger and drive that comes from the competitive spirit matters, but it must be paired with discipline and trust in the process.

As she steps into the spring season, Reynold’s priorities are simple and relational: get to know the team and understand the culture of the school. In a boarding school environment especially, she sees the importance of community. Track and field as a sport presents a unique challenge, and opportunity, in that community-building work. Sprinters, distance runners, jumpers, hurdlers and throwers often train separately, each event demanding different rhythms and skill sets. Reynolds plans to be intentional about creating shared space.

“We’ll all warm up together,” she said. “And I’ll plan occasional practices where we’re all doing the same thing — a yoga, a running program — just to strengthen that bond.” She envisions pre-meet rituals, post-meet dialogues and debriefs after big events. And perhaps most important, she’s clear about what it means to be a part of a track team.

“During meets, when you’re not doing something — you’re doing something,” she said. “You’re cheering. You’re showing up for and supporting your team.”

Because in track and field, every point counts. Every jump, every throw, every race. Every athlete.

It’s a lesson Reynolds learned long ago, racing barefoot in Cleveland. Every effort matters, and that speed, when paired with belief and community, can carry you farther than you ever imagined.