For Owen Anderson, sports are more than a hobby—they’re a way of life, at least whenever school isn’t in the way. At just 11 years old, he’s tried nearly every sport he can get his hands on: soccer, cross country, basketball, baseball, golf, and track and field. His true passions, though, are soccer and running, where he’s quickly becoming a standout.

Owen’s athletic journey started at age three, learning the basics of soccer at HappyFeet. From there he moved into the Dublin Soccer League, where he quickly learned that being fast made the game even more fun. After several seasons of Saturday mornings at Avery Park, he set his sights higher, tried out for DSX—DSL’s club-level program—and earned a spot.

Armed with a year of club experience and a deepening love for the sport, Owen decided to take a leap and try out for a new team: Ohio Premier. Joining OP meant traveling to tournaments across Ohio and competing at a higher level. He also represents his school, St. Brigid of Kildare, as a proud Wolfhound. During late summer and early fall, his club and school soccer schedules often overlap, but the pace doesn’t bother him—Owen thrives on it.

In a soccer-centric city like Columbus, many young athletes specialize early, but Owen’s parents have always encouraged him to explore other sports. That’s how he discovered cross country and track. As a fourth grader last year, he had his first chance to try running competitively. It seemed like a natural fit since he’d always been one of the fastest on the soccer field, but Owen had never really thought of himself as a runner—until he decided to give it a shot.

His debut race proved he made the right choice: Owen placed fourth in his first-ever cross country meet. From there, he soared. He finished in the top ten at every meet that season, broke a school record, and proudly noted, “I hold the fourth-best one-mile time in school history for 4th–6th grade boys.” He capped off the season by finishing eighth overall at the Columbus Diocese Championship.

Stepping outside his comfort zone has been worth it. “I didn’t want to do track or cross country,” Owen admitted. “But I discovered I like running, and it helped me get faster at soccer.”

Looking ahead, Owen hopes to continue both running and playing soccer in high school and beyond. For now, he’s enjoying the journey—improving his athletic skills, celebrating wins and medals, and building friendships along the way.

“What I enjoy most is seeing how I improve year after year through lots of hard work and training,” he said. “And also making new friends.”

With the support of his parents, coaches, and teammates, Owen is well on his way to achieving his goals—and he’s having a blast doing it.