Iowa City West’s Erinn Varga paints her picture on and off the track

From the fluidity of a runner’s stride to the ease of a jumper’s arc, track and field is a form of expression.

Every event is a canvas for athletes to showcase their power and agility, and Erinn Varga does that every time she steps onto the track.

She also takes the opportunity to showcase her leadership and skills off the track as the design and opinion editor for West Side Story — Iowa City West's student news publication. With each illustration, Varga adds her own touch of creativity and sets the tone for stories: an approach she uses on the track.

“Track is where I really got my perseverance from. It’s where I got my hard-working mindset from and I honestly don’t think I would’ve been editor in journalism without it,” Varga said. “Track has taught me what it means to be a leader and a supporter to my teammates and my friends.”

Varga’s love for design dates back to her childhood years when she dreamt of being an illustrator. It’s blossomed into having her own portfolio filled with different colors, shapes and graphics. Like design, track has been a staple for Varga. After eight years of gymnastics, Varga started to compete in track and field, later joining the Iowa City West girls team as a freshman.

Since then, Varga has been a regular at the Drake Relays. She made her debut in 2022, clinching sixth in the 400-meter hurdles as a sophomore. She placed 15th in 2023 and again in the 2024 Drake Relays on Saturday.

The Trojans had their best finish at the 2024 Drake Relays during the girls shuttle hurdles, where Varga ran the starter leg during the Trojans’ third-place finish. This year's experience, which included a nearly three-hour delay, was one of perseverance and gratitude.

“It’s been a crazy couple of days; there’s a lot of bumps on the road but my team has taken it in stride,” Varga said. “Doing three events is absolutely amazing and doing it with my team is the best thing I can ask for.”

The West girls also finished 22nd in the 4x400 relays, but the results don’t paint the bigger picture. Varga embraces creativity in a variety of different ways; a trait that she’s carried since she was a child.

“I’m very multifaceted … I love to do design, but I also love to do sports and track and cross country but also band and all that, so I love different creative outlets,” Varga said.

Varga doesn’t envision a career in illustration, but rather a love that she’ll continue to carry on after graduation. As for track, she credited her former and current teammates for their support during her final appearance at the Drake Relays.

"I just found such a loving group of friends and teammates throughout the journey that I still talk to to this day," Varga said. "I've met wonderful underclassmen that I know are going to continue on what I carried on from what my seniors taught me ... I can't wait to see what they do in the future."

Varga plans to pursue physical therapy after high school.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City West's Erinn Varga embraces creativity