Hudson's Rachael Korowski picks Stonehill as place to run, pursue childhood education
HUDSON – Rachael Korowski runs naturally, comfortably.
Her stride has been perfect since Hudson cross-country coach Bill Gaudere first noticed her as a seventh grader in the Girls on the Run program. She joined the Hawks cross-country program as an eighth-grader and became Hudson's top runner by the season's second week.
Korowski stayed there ever since, leading the Hawks to the Division 3 state meet as a team for the first time this fall as a senior.
"She puts in the work, and she has a definite high threshold of pain. They say anyone can run, but to be a good runner, to get to that next level, you have to have a high threshold of pain," Gaudere said. "Once you're out there and you're getting tired or you're getting sore, most people back off, but to be that good and go to the next level, it's self inflicted pain."
Korowski reached the next level in more ways than one. She will compete for Stonehill next season at the Division 1 level and pursue multiple dreams.
Of course there are the competitive running endeavors. Korowski began running community 5Ks and road races with her family before racing to the front of the pack at middle school run clubs and Hudson's cross-country and track and field teams.
She holds the Hawks cross-country course record in 19 minutes, 51 seconds as well as the school records in the mile (5:20.76) and two-mile (12:18). Her 800-meter time (2:24.06) is second all-time with the winter and spring track season still ahead.
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A change in course
Korowski used to play basketball and softball before focusing on running full-time.
"It was the community of running at Hudson High. My eighth grade year we had a big cross-country team, really supportive," she said. "It was a really fun environment to be in, and I enjoyed it a lot. That's why I continued."
She continued both running and the community. Only Korowski returned from last year's cross country squad. Her four other teammates had never run a cross country race before the season opener. They placed second at the divisional meet and sixth in the Division 3 state race.
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"She took them under her wing. She showed them the proper ways of training, how to act when you et to a race, how to warm up, how to cool down," Gaudere said. "They were taught by one of the best."
Teaching and connecting is also what brought Korowski to Stonehill. She'll study early childhood education, continuing a path she began around the same time as running.
Korowski grew up babysitting and around younger family members. She enjoyed being around kids.
"I thought I was pretty good at it," Korowski said. "I've had good teachers in the past that I look up to. I want to be a teacher like that to someone."
That desire brought her to Jeannie Graffeo's early childhood education program at Hudson. The program, established for 30 years, features two classes that involve working directly with daycares and eventually designing lesson plans. Students who complete the program and accomplish their 150 required hours of work can apply for state licensure once they graduate and become day care teachers.
"Out of the gate she showed interest in our first introductory class health growth and development, and she sprung into action," Graffeo said.
Korowski gives back
Korowski worked with the CHAPS, Inc. daycare in Hudson, where they lean on her athletic background and enjoy her leading movement based activities.
"She has a high level of understanding and empathy. That level of understanding and comfort is something Rachael has very naturally. It’s not something you can teach sometimes. It’s quite a gift," Graffeo said. "She’s one of those students that you come across that you know she’s gonna make a difference."
Her impact on Hudson's running programs will be felt even after she graduates from Stonehill. In addition to mentoring this year's young squad, Korowski coached the Hudson recreation department's youth summer track program over the summer.
"One of the bigger things would be her ability to genuinely connect with kids. She understands to form a true, safe connection with a kid, you need to be yourself, express your interests and be true to who you are. She is more soft spoken than a lot of staff, but despite that she did an excellent job forming relationships with the kids we work with. That’s not always easy," said Maggie McCarley, an assistant program supervisor and Hudson grad. "Kids admire that. They can tell if you’re comfortable with who you are. They’ll be more comfortable with you."
Coaching made her a better runner. She reminded herself to practice the fundamentals she taught to those younger kids. When Korowski digs for an extra burst late in a race or pushes to hold off a challenger, she focuses on the connections she's made and the community she's found.
"It's the fact of how I'll feel after and how accomplished I'll feel," Korowski said. "The people around me are so supportive, and being able to support my teammates at the end of the race gets me through."
Contact Kyle Grabowski at kgrabowski@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @kylegrbwsk.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Hudson's Rachael Korowski commits to Stonehill for XC, early education
