When Spartanburg Christian Academy student-athlete Hannah-Lee Fitter searches for motivation, she looked towards Dorman track and field team leader Stephanie Buffo. Fitter, a seventh grader, first met Buffo during cross country season.
"I had the chance to introduce myself and I told her that I really looked up to her…She was so kind to me," said Fitter. "She asked me my time and congratulated me and encouraged me to keep at it, and she was so humble."
Buffo is a junior at Dorman.
Fitter looks to Buffo for motivation during the hard miles of a race.
"When I run sometimes I just feel like giving up and that I am just going to die out and fall to pieces! But, then I think of her (Buffo) and all that she has accomplished and she makes me want to go above and beyond."
"Stephanie has a sincere concern about her teammates and their progress each season," said Dorman head girls track and field coach Wendy Barr. "She takes it upon herself to advise the younger distance runners who look up to her. She has proven time and again that the growth and development of the entire team is important to her, as it is to me."
For motivation during the day, Fitter has photos of Buffo in her locker.
"I had wanted to decorate my locker this year really cool looking, and since I loved running so much and Stephanie, I thought it would be a good idea to put them in there," said Fitter.
"It reminded me of some of the things that I used to do when I was in seventh and eighth grade, having pictures of Angelina Blackmon in my locker and only dreaming of ever coming that close," Buffo said.
Buffo makes it a point to speak with the developing athlete at meets they compete in together.
"We talk about times and she always congratulates me and encourages me, even when I feel like I have done really bad," said Fitter. "Unfortunately, usually when I see her we don't have much time to have a very long conversation, but my mom usually has a camera! Last year at a cross country meet at Dorman, I had hit my head pretty hard before the race began and I had ice on my head afterwards. She came over to me and asked if we could take a picture together. That really made me feel special. We took a picture and she made sure I was ok."
"I seem to kick it up a little bit and laugh a little and it just makes me feel good that she is cheering for ME," said Fitter about Buffo's encouragement at meets.
Buffo gave these reasons for her actions to others.
"I really find that I have made a small contribution to Hannah-Lee's and the Spartanburg Christian Academy's team, and you know, I feel that I am completing my high school running career because I not only just "running fast" but I am setting an example for the runners of today and tomorrow," said Buffo. "This has been a personal goal of mine because I want to leave a legacy of not only a fast runner, but of one that lead not only her team but other teams, respect of others, and most of all, run because you feel destined to, because this is the best sport in the world and you better not leave it without you heart and soul out on the course after you have gone through the line."
Buffo has been injured since January, and unable to run, but still attends meets and supports her team. Fitter will be moving to Minnesota soon but will still look to Buffo for inspiration, while she inspires others.
During the 2006 GSP Relays, Buffo helped tabulate results while interacting with her teammates and other team members including SCA athletes.
"I was informed of this right as she finished the 4x800 at GSP's (Greenville-Spartanburg Relays)," said Buffo about Fitter's move to Minnesota. "She came across the line, I saw her, told her good job and she said, still breathing heavily from her race," 'I'm….moving.' "I was very upset and gave her a hug. She is going to forever live in my heart as me. I look upon Hannah-Lee and I see myself. I hope to always keep in touch with her and how well she does in the future."
"I love her spunk, and I admire her determination," said Barr about Buffo. "I appreciate her hard work, and I depend on her to "do track right," as I often say. But Stephanie is not just a great athlete - she is the complete package of a great person, and I'm a better coach after having coached her."
Fitter is entered in Saturday's SCISA State Championships at Heathwood Hall in Columbia.
Scrunners.com site administrator John Olson will be onsite at the championship event.
"I had the chance to introduce myself and I told her that I really looked up to her…She was so kind to me," said Fitter. "She asked me my time and congratulated me and encouraged me to keep at it, and she was so humble."
Buffo is a junior at Dorman.
 |
| Hannah-Lee Fitter is participating in this weekend's SCISA State Championship. |
"When I run sometimes I just feel like giving up and that I am just going to die out and fall to pieces! But, then I think of her (Buffo) and all that she has accomplished and she makes me want to go above and beyond."
"Stephanie has a sincere concern about her teammates and their progress each season," said Dorman head girls track and field coach Wendy Barr. "She takes it upon herself to advise the younger distance runners who look up to her. She has proven time and again that the growth and development of the entire team is important to her, as it is to me."
For motivation during the day, Fitter has photos of Buffo in her locker.
"I had wanted to decorate my locker this year really cool looking, and since I loved running so much and Stephanie, I thought it would be a good idea to put them in there," said Fitter.
"It reminded me of some of the things that I used to do when I was in seventh and eighth grade, having pictures of Angelina Blackmon in my locker and only dreaming of ever coming that close," Buffo said.
Buffo makes it a point to speak with the developing athlete at meets they compete in together.
"We talk about times and she always congratulates me and encourages me, even when I feel like I have done really bad," said Fitter. "Unfortunately, usually when I see her we don't have much time to have a very long conversation, but my mom usually has a camera! Last year at a cross country meet at Dorman, I had hit my head pretty hard before the race began and I had ice on my head afterwards. She came over to me and asked if we could take a picture together. That really made me feel special. We took a picture and she made sure I was ok."
"I seem to kick it up a little bit and laugh a little and it just makes me feel good that she is cheering for ME," said Fitter about Buffo's encouragement at meets.
Buffo gave these reasons for her actions to others.
"I really find that I have made a small contribution to Hannah-Lee's and the Spartanburg Christian Academy's team, and you know, I feel that I am completing my high school running career because I not only just "running fast" but I am setting an example for the runners of today and tomorrow," said Buffo. "This has been a personal goal of mine because I want to leave a legacy of not only a fast runner, but of one that lead not only her team but other teams, respect of others, and most of all, run because you feel destined to, because this is the best sport in the world and you better not leave it without you heart and soul out on the course after you have gone through the line."
Buffo has been injured since January, and unable to run, but still attends meets and supports her team. Fitter will be moving to Minnesota soon but will still look to Buffo for inspiration, while she inspires others.
During the 2006 GSP Relays, Buffo helped tabulate results while interacting with her teammates and other team members including SCA athletes.
"I was informed of this right as she finished the 4x800 at GSP's (Greenville-Spartanburg Relays)," said Buffo about Fitter's move to Minnesota. "She came across the line, I saw her, told her good job and she said, still breathing heavily from her race," 'I'm….moving.' "I was very upset and gave her a hug. She is going to forever live in my heart as me. I look upon Hannah-Lee and I see myself. I hope to always keep in touch with her and how well she does in the future."
"I love her spunk, and I admire her determination," said Barr about Buffo. "I appreciate her hard work, and I depend on her to "do track right," as I often say. But Stephanie is not just a great athlete - she is the complete package of a great person, and I'm a better coach after having coached her."
Fitter is entered in Saturday's SCISA State Championships at Heathwood Hall in Columbia.
Scrunners.com site administrator John Olson will be onsite at the championship event.