Some people just have that rare gift. They seem genuinely happy to see you. And they really do “see” you; they really do listen when you speak. After being with such people for a few minutes, you walk away smiling, with a lighter step, feeling better, somehow, about yourself — and life.

Lara-Jane (“LJ”) Que, the head coach of the men’s and women’s track program at Bowdoin College, is such a person.

LJ was born in the Philippines, and she took her first steps on the beach, a factor which explains her deep desire to live near the water. Her parents moved to Ridgewood, New Jersey when she was four years old, but her dad left the family — and her life — when she was just 12 years old.

Always fleet afoot, LJ began running sprint races when she was in the 6th grade. One day when she was in the ninth grade, LJ’s coach noticed her dancing rhythmically to the music in the background. He said, “Hey, why don’t you try hurdling.” He set the hurdles low; and LJ smoothly jumped over them. “You’re a hurdler,” said the coach. Such moments transform lives.

“That day opened up a gateway of opportunity for me,” marvels LJ. Indeed, it did. She went on to earn all-League and all-State honors as a hurdler in high school, which, in turn, resulted in an athletic scholarship at the University of Rhode Island (URI).

LJ excelled for the women’s track and field team at URI, specializing in hurdles, sprints and relays and serving as team captain her senior year. She earned First Team All-Conference for the Atlantic 10 and First Team All-New England honors in both the 60- and 100-meter hurdles. In both events, she was Atlantic 10 Conference Champion. Moreover, she made the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team. She speaks fondly of the husband-wife team that coached her. “They cared about me as a person.”

After graduating from URI in 2011, LJ spent three and a half years working for Abercrombie & Fitch, but she says she found it hard to be herself in the corporate world. She noticed, however, that the people she worked with sometimes called her “coach,” because she often shared the lessons she learned while competing in track and field.

Sensing the need for a change, LJ reached out to her URI coaches for advice on getting into the coaching field. They suggested she apply to the highly competitive master’s program in Exercise & Sports Studies at Smith College. She did and got accepted, another hurdle crossed. LJ thoroughly enjoyed Smith’s holistic approach to coaching. As a teaching fellow, she also taught courses to undergraduates, such as Hydro Fitness and Stress Management.

After serving as a coaching assistant at Smith, LJ got hired as an assistant coach at Bowdoin in 2017. She was promoted to head coach for the women’s track and field team in 2019; two years later, when she was just 32 years old, LJ was appointed as overall head coach of the men’s and women’s track program. Talk about a fast career track.

Clearly, Lj Que has found the perfect match at Bowdoin. “I love coaching these high academic students. They’re driven, they’re thoughtful and they’re kind. It’s like having 100 kids in my life.”

LJ has sage views on what it takes to be a good coach. ‘You have to be a chameleon and meet kids where they are. You need to create a space where they can be vulnerable and emotional. I can be vulnerable and emotional with them too.”

I have observed LJ at Bowdoin cross country meets, and she is a whirlwind, showing her hurdling speed as she runs from point to point, cheering on every runner, an admirable mix of steely focus and sheer enthusiasm.

When I asked LJ how she got involved in recruiting prospective athletes, she said with a smile, “The coaches use me as a closer, and I really do take my time with each athlete.” Something tells me that recruits have a hard time resisting LJ’s authenticity and charm.

LJ notes that her biggest challenge is having to wear so many lenses, but she wouldn’t trade her job for anything – including, she assured me, a coaching offer from a Division I university. “My mother moved back to the Philippines, so Bowdoin really is my home, my family. It’s a privilege to be here.”

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. dtreadw575@aol.com.