Austin Enriquez is an inductee for the second class of the Starr’s Mill Hall of Fame.
While attending Starr’s Mill, Enriquez ran cross country. After graduating in 2007, he returned to his alma mater to teach biology and coach cross country.
Following his time at Starr’s Mill, Enriquez received a four-year full ride scholarship to the University of West Alabama to run cross country, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology.
“What [Starr’s Mill] meant to me back then was opportunity,” Enriquez said. ”It meant my friendship. It meant my pathway through life, my trajectory with my success in running and what I had learned along the way made the next few steps in my life easy.”
Enriquez was born in Florida before moving around from state to state while he was young. When he was in middle school, his family moved to Fayette County, and he attended Rising Starr Middle School.
Once in high school, Enriquez joined cross country. His freshman year, he was top ten on the team, bettering himself by competing with varsity teammates. After his first year, many top runners graduated, leaving Enriquez at the top of the roster.
“A lot of times, training with coach Walker, he would ride his bike while I was running just so I would have someone with me,” Enriquez said. “And without that I would have been pretty lost in the regular season in terms of training.”
Since the team’s average scores were not competitive, Enriquez worked instead to better himself, setting goals and dedicating his time fully to cross country. He soon started to attract the attention of colleges, deciding to go to the University of West Alabama on a full ride scholarship.
After graduating college, Enriquez returned to Starr’s Mill as a paraprofessional and coach, also doing HVAC work on the side to save money. Enriquez later secured a job teaching in Newnan.
“When I figured out that I was going to have a child, I wanted to be closer to home and free some time up, and I applied [at Starr’s Mill], and they scooped me right up,” Enriquez said. “I’ve been teaching here now for three years.”
Enriquez met his wife through cross country in high school, first encountering her when the two both did a local interview for upcoming runners. They trained throughout the summer during high school, staying connected in college and still meeting up during the summers to train. The couple live in Peachtree City and have one daughter, and a son on the way.
“We lose sight of what it really means to live in a safe place, to live in a place where a lot of things are available to you in terms of opportunities and pathways and people to meet and you name it,” Enriquez said, “Peachtree City has it going on, and it’s really easy to lose sight of that when you’re in it.”