Though all my meets are worthwhile and memorable, the most memorable one was 2021 Outdoor State. This year at state I broke my 100m and 200m state records and added the 400m record to my résumé. Not only that but our 4x400m relay team won and we placed 2nd as a team overall. I can honestly say that my senior year was a season that I will never forget.
Where did you face your biggest competition?
My toughest meet was 2019 Outdoor State. I faced my biggest competition in the 200m finals against Dhakirah Baraka. Going into the finals she was the number one seed. Once the race started I got out first, but she walked me down and we were neck and neck with about 50 meters to go. She pushed me to the end, in which I broke the 200m state record and came out on top.
Out of all of your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most and why?
In November 2020, I signed an athletic scholarship with the University of Alabama. This was a huge milestone for me and gave me another boost of confidence. To see my hard work, not only shown on the results board when I cross finish lines but on a contract to run collegiately felt very rewarding.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change about your running career in high school?
There is absolutely nothing I would change about my high school running career. I enjoyed the entire journey. From the time I stepped on the track in 9th grade, I took nothing for granted. I used every rep, race, meet, win, and loss as a teaching moment and helped others with my knowledge from experiences.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome during your HS Track career?
Once Covid hit last spring, practice became difficult. For the moment, I had to practice alone. It would be just me and my dad. In track, mental toughness is a huge part of success in this sport. My mental toughness developed greatly during that unprecedented time and carried me through my last high school track season. Though at the beginning of the change I thought that what was happening was bad, it allowed me to boost my confidence and mentality a little more, which is good.
What will you miss the most?
I used my senior year as a time to be a mentor to my younger teammates. I was actually the only senior, which made me feel even more obligated to do so. This year team was very special to me. We won our first state championship during indoor and were the runner-ups in outdoor. We only had 7 girls during indoor and 8 girls during outdoor. The amount of athletes speaks for itself. This year was so special and I will miss the girls I bled, sweat, and cried with. I love each one of them!
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
"Dream big, be humble, trust God, and enjoy the journey..." -Chanice Spicer
