What was your most memorable race/competition?My most memorable race would most definitely be when we won the XC 4A Upperstate Qualifying race. We weren't expecting to win, and so when we did, it was huge. We were all jumping around and hugging each other. It was amazing.
Where did you face your biggest competition?
I think our biggest competition was still in the Upper State region. We have been rivals with Dorman, Spartanburg, J.L. Mann, and Riverside for years, so it was always a fun race.
Out of all of your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
For me, it would be the amount of time I dropped in my 4 years running at Mauldin. My first race was a 26:42 and I dropped it down to a 20:25 my senior year. I went from not even scoring points on the JV team to scoring for Varsity. Hard work really does pay off!
If you could do it all over again, what would you change about your athletic career in high school?
That's a great question. I think that I would have put a lot more into my Track season rather than just focusing all on cross country. I didn't really get too competitive in track until this past season and so it was hard to catch up. Track was great once I started to put a lot of effort into it.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
I was diagnosed with Epilepsy the summer going into my junior year, which put a hold on a lot of my training. I couldn't condition for about a month and a half with the team, and I was playing catch-up the first half of the season. It wasn't fun, I couldn't finish a majority of my runs, but I still had the strength in me to keep trying. That really made a difference.
What will you miss the most?
I will definitely miss a lot of things, that's for sure. I think that I will miss overnight trips with my team the most. They were always a nice way to unwind and relax before the tough race ahead. Plus, it was always neat to share goals with the other girls and to just mess around. I will miss them a lot.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
An athlete with a positive attitude, a big heart, and quality sportsmanship is greater than one who is just naturally gifted. Keep your head up, and never give up.
How have your coaches influenced your performances and your life goals overall?
Coach Howell has shown me that you don't have to be the best one to make a mark. He has always told us the same stories about how he wasn't the fastest runner at Eastern Kentucky, but he could always find that internal drive to make that top 7. He never gave up, and I really believe that his story inspired me not to give up.
What are your college plans?
I will be attending Coastal Carolina University in the fall. I plan to get my CPA degree (Certified Public Accounting) and maybe even get my masters after that. I will be running cross country and track there as well, where I hope to possibly run the 3000m steeplechase. But if not, that's okay. I'm still very thankful for the opportunity.
Shout-Outs?
That's a great question. I think that I would have put a lot more into my Track season rather than just focusing all on cross country. I didn't really get too competitive in track until this past season and so it was hard to catch up. Track was great once I started to put a lot of effort into it.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
I was diagnosed with Epilepsy the summer going into my junior year, which put a hold on a lot of my training. I couldn't condition for about a month and a half with the team, and I was playing catch-up the first half of the season. It wasn't fun, I couldn't finish a majority of my runs, but I still had the strength in me to keep trying. That really made a difference.
What will you miss the most?
I will definitely miss a lot of things, that's for sure. I think that I will miss overnight trips with my team the most. They were always a nice way to unwind and relax before the tough race ahead. Plus, it was always neat to share goals with the other girls and to just mess around. I will miss them a lot.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
An athlete with a positive attitude, a big heart, and quality sportsmanship is greater than one who is just naturally gifted. Keep your head up, and never give up.
How have your coaches influenced your performances and your life goals overall?
Coach Howell has shown me that you don't have to be the best one to make a mark. He has always told us the same stories about how he wasn't the fastest runner at Eastern Kentucky, but he could always find that internal drive to make that top 7. He never gave up, and I really believe that his story inspired me not to give up.
What are your college plans?
I will be attending Coastal Carolina University in the fall. I plan to get my CPA degree (Certified Public Accounting) and maybe even get my masters after that. I will be running cross country and track there as well, where I hope to possibly run the 3000m steeplechase. But if not, that's okay. I'm still very thankful for the opportunity.
Shout-Outs?
I would like to thank my coach. He really did make this sport a lifestyle for me. Without him, I probably would be sitting on the couch all day doing nothing. Also to my family, past teammates, and future teammates.