Changing your entire being in four years, from physical appearance to academic achievement, is something that most people can’t even dream of. Kevin DaSilva, Ludlow High School senior, makes this task look easy, and it all started his freshmen year by registering for the Cross Country team.

“My brother was always telling me to run cross country in middle school. Since I was really overweight and soccer wasn’t helping me lose it, I decided to drop it and do XC,” says DaSilva.

Kevin admits that cross country didn’t start off as amazing as it sounds. He considered quitting several times and only enjoyed it because of the friends he made. “I didn’t take it seriously until junior year, and when I did take it seriously enough to lose weight I started to enjoy it a lot more.”

Cross country not only proved to be beneficial to Kevin’s body, but to his mind as well. Due to Coach Gauvin’s policy of staying for extra help if a student has below a C average, Kevin’s grades rose dramatically. The sport also made Kevin more outgoing, and less afraid to talk to new people.

“I was really self conscious about my weight and I was always super shy about it, so I never really talked to anyone except my friends.”

Kevin has had so many standout moments during his years on XC, but there are two that make him very proud. “My biggest accomplishment is definitely losing 55 pounds, and my favorite memory is when I broke 20 minutes to reach the varsity standard.”

Being a part of the XC team has impacted Kevin’s life so much that he now continues to run, and plans on doing so in his future life. DaSilva is extremely humble and credits most of his accomplishments to the Gauvins.

“They taught me that you have to be dedicated and push yourself, even if you are not motivated to do it,” says DaSilva. “I will never forget the Gauvins and all that they have done for me. They are the biggest supporters I have had over the past four years of XC and they helped me get to where I am today.”

Kevin is the definition of what the Gauvins believe cross country to mean, and he exemplifies the highly used XC term of “pride”. They are sad to see him go after four years.

“He is the true representation of hard work paying off,” says Coach Rebecca Gauvin. “He has become more of a leader on the team. I wish I had another year with him because his positive attitude is contagious.”

Her husband, Coach Mike Gauvin, expresses the same feelings about Kevin.

“This is why coaches coach. A student athlete who comes to the team for social reasons, and soon realizes that he or she can transform their life and body through the sport,” says Mr. Gauvin. “Kevin is the most successful story we have had in over a decade. Not only did he transform his body drastically, he became one of the best runners on our team. We are extremely proud of all that he has accomplished.”