On your mark. Get set. BOOM.

Matt Perello ’20 launches himself off the starting block. Setting his eyes on the finish line, it doesn’t take Perello long to finish the race. In less than seven seconds on February 3, Perello had covered 55 meters and set his senior record at the Morris County Coaches Invitational — the current New Jersey state record for the 55-meter is 6.26 seconds.

Perello first took up running as a game among friends. Perello would hold small races with his friends during gym warm ups in middle school. As he grew older, his teachers noticed his innate running ability and encouraged him to join the track team.

“[My middle school gym teacher] would always have us run around the gym or outside on the field, and one day I was just like ‘I’ll try to go as fast as I can,’ She noticed and said ‘You should do track,’” Perello said.

Following his gym teacher’s advice, Perello started track in the spring of sixth grade and has continued since. Perello enjoyed success early, further fueling his passion for the sport. Although Perello admits that he has some natural talent, he attributes his success and dedication to the friends that he has made along the way and the lessons he has learned from them.

“I really took after [the] work ethics [of my previous track teammates]. … They were always putting in 110 percent, never backing out, never quitting,” said Perello. “Nils Wildberg [’19], he was a senior last year, is an amazing athlete, … and is one of the most hardworking people I know [and] Jack Henry Whetstone [’19] … is one of the most dedicated people I know … and they are just two of the people that I really really look up to,”

Wanting to help others improve and enjoy the sport like he does, Perello has been the sprinting team’s captain the last two years. He also leads the team in both the 55-meter and 200-meter races.

“I like to lead by example as much as I can. I want to help the younger athletes as much as I can and I want to see the kids that I grew up with become much better athletes. Even within one season, … it’s great to see them becoming much better athletes,” Perello said.

Despite this being his last season at PHS, Perello is excited about what is in store for the track team in the future. He notices that some of the younger kids on the track team this year are dedicated and competitive, and he looks forward to seeing the team improve.

Looking back on his high school track career and his growth, Perello notes the importance of hardwork and persistence.

“Hard work beats talent. … If you put more work in, over time you’ll see much bigger growth and you’ll see yourself become faster and stronger. So I think that even if they’re younger and they don’t have as much talent, I think they should just go for it,” Perello said.