Bruno makes huge strides for OPHS track team
Senior didn't start competitive running until she entered high school
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers SPEED RACER- Oak Park's Francesca Bruno works out on the OPHS track earlier this week. Bruno excels in the 200 and 400meter dash races. She's also a standout on the Eagles' relay teams.

During Francesca Bruno's freshman year at Oak Park High, she began to get burned out playing soccer and decided to give another sport a try. The Eagles are glad she picked track and field.

Now a senior, Bruno is one of the leaders of the OPHS girls' track team. This season, the 17year-old senior has set personal records in the 200-meter dash (26.4 seconds) and 400-meter dash (60.3).

Bruno has also contributed in the relays, where she runs the first leg of the 200 and 400.

Although Bruno has had success on the track, it didn't come overnight.

"My friend told me she wanted to give track a shot and that I should try with her," Bruno said. "I was a little nervous because I didn't have any idea of what I was doing. I decided to compete in the 200 and 400 because it seemed they were the shortest two events."

Oak Park sprint coach Lyle Greenberg said Bruno's first appearance on the track wasn't a true sign of what the sprinter would later accomplish.

"At her first meet, she was wearing sweats without a string, so she seemed to be more occupied on pulling up her sweats than winning the race," Greenberg said.

"Soon after, she seemed to get the hang of what it was like to be on a track team. In some way you just knew that she was going to be something special and someone we relied heavily on," the coach said.

Bruno said Greenberg and a number of upperclassmen helped her that first season, and, before she knew it, she felt like she had been competing in track her entire life.

The assistance paid off, as Bruno was able to compete in the Arcadia Championships later that year.

During Bruno's junior season, a couple of changes were made to help her improve even more.

First, Bruno decided to finally give up soccer and instead compete in cross country. Bruno said running cross country helped boost her times in the 400 once track season rolled around. Greenberg agreed.

"Cross country was something we wanted her to do for a while," Greenberg said. "It had a big influence on her 400 times in track because it gave her the mental toughness she may have been lacking before."

The other change Bruno made came on her relay team. Instead of running as the Eagles' anchor, Bruno was moved to the first leg. Immediately, she excelled in the new role.

"I'm a little better running around curves rather than straightaways, so it was a change I liked," Bruno said.

Greenberg made the switch because he felt Bruno was never bothered by pressure.

"She's very steady, and she handles pressure well," Greenberg said. "She has a great work ethic but, more importantly, a calming influence on the rest of the team. The other kids look up to her, so it just made sense that she should start us off on the right foot in relays."

Bruno will be headed to Chico State in the fall, but before she heads north she would like to leave Oak Park on a good note by winning a Tri-Valley League championship. Bruno would also like to get back to the CIF Finals, where her 4x100 relay team posted a top score of 49.44 at Cerritos last year.

"Our team is set," Bruno said. "Other teams have talent like us, but it's probably our team chemistry that sets us apart. Other teams don't have the bond that we do.

"Everyone gets along, and we're able to push each other to the next level in our meets. Hopefully, it can help us go far in the postseason."