GIRLS WINNER: Julie Wollrath - Junior @ Holy Trinity
Julie Wollrath. It feels like we've been talking about her since she was a 6th grader. She's won numerous state championships in track and the Holy Trinity junior is the back-to-back 1A cross country state champion. In 2013, she will look to make it three in a row. One of the top runners in the state, regardless of class, and with the rings to back it up, Wollrath definitely has a target on her back. Butler says as defending champion, she knows she is the one to beat, but that doesn't mean she is resting on her past accomplishments.
"She knows that there are a host of girls with big guns and a bulls eye on her back. She continues to push the envelope everyday. She has big goals this year with a state title being only one of them."
Wollrath is coming off an outdoor track season where she finished second in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs. Coach Butler explains what workouts she has been doing in the summer and as of late to stay in peak physical condition.
"Summer was good with her in the high 50s for weekly miles. Lately, she has been doing a lot of tempo pace runs on Tuesdays and shorter 200/300 work on Thursdays. Short rest and not so fast on the hard intervals. We just moved into a max vo2 phase so we have started hitting some 800s this week.
In her first test of the season, the Wickham Park Jamboree, the Tigers' star dismantled the field. Her time of 18:48.50, was the only one under 19 minutes, and over twenty-seven seconds faster than teammate Shelby Smith. It was a tempo run for Wollrath, who ran easy and didn't open it up until halfway thru the race.
Next up was the Katie Caples Invitational. In 2011, she got lost along with several other runners, but still manage to finish 4th as a freshman. Wollrath along with 2A state champion Julia Montgomery looked strong in the early going, but it was a surprise from Karen Xiang of Nease, who took the title in the end with Wollrath coming in 14 seconds behind for a runner-up finish in 19:06. Butler says he employed a totally different strategy for her in this race than the week before.
"I had her go out as hard as she could from the gun and run it that way. She might have run better had we not done that, but I want her to see what it will be like in races that go out crazy fast like Foot Locker South."
The Holy Trinity junior was back at the top at the UF Mt. Dew Invitational. Not using the same strategy as Katie Caples, she opted to stay with the pack, leave a little gas in the tank, and use her speed at the end of the race. The result was a new season best time of 18:17.85 to secure the win. Butler believes it was a good race, but she more in the tank, including a great race at Great American, and for a successful rest of the season.
"She is in better shape this year so I am excited to see her race at Great American and FSU. She has a gift and she has good work ethic. She has a great desire to win, but an even better desire not to lose."
Julie's Athlete Profile
BOYS WINNER: Tyler Bennett - Senior @ Fort Myers
Fort Myers standout Tyler Bennett had an incredible junior season in 2012. Bennett finished as the 3A runner-up and was ten spots out from qualifying for Foot Locker Nationals, after crossing the line in 20th at Foot Locker South. After the outdoor track season, he was back to work in the summer, getting faster and stronger. Coach Yancey Palmer says the Green Wave program is progressive all year and that from June 1st until November, and taper leading up to the state meet and Foot Locker South.
"Tyler started the summer at about 35 miles a week and will increase to about 70+ miles per week with three workouts and one race in most weeks. I love to have the boys run tempo runs or mile repeats, once per week. Something fast that is time based, like 60 seconds hard and 60 seconds easy, once a week and we are sure to hit the bridge every Thursday morning before school at 5:05 a.m."
Bennett and the rest of the starting five took the first week off. They spent their time watching the rest of their teammates at the 3D Invitational in Estero. Watching, cheering on his teammates, and being excited for their success had him itching to get on the course. Coach Palmer says when it was time to race the following weekend at their home meet, the Ft. Myers Optimist Invitational, Bennett had no expectations and just went out however he felt.
"Optimist is a tough course Coach Kelly (the girls coach) and I cherish that. He knew that he had to be careful and not get out too hard or he would die off. I guess he had a slight advantage, just knowing the course more than others."
The senior took off from the gun and never looked back. Of the 1,893 performances from the Ft. Myers Optimist meet over the years, Bennett's time of 16:03.70 is the fastest. Last year, he finished third in 16:23.30, so it was nearly a twenty second improvement. The first win of the year gave him confidence going into another big meet, the UF Mt. Dew Invitational. The plan at UF was to run with the top pack and then start to push the pace after 4-5 min, but Palmer says sometimes things don't always go according to plan.
Only three weeks into the season, the senior looked in top shape. His time of 15:24.29 was less than three seconds off his personal best of 15:22 set at Foot Locker South. The mark was also one of the top times ever run at this meet trailing only Jason Heatherly of Hernando (1983 - 4:47.00) and AJ DelValle (2010 - 15:18.69). Bennett is not only showing leadership on the course, but Palmer says as a vocal leader as well.
"We have really missed Ace this year. He was a great senior for us. He was always positive and supportive. So this year Tyler has had to take on some of that role. Although he is not alone, we have other great seniors that have helped with that part of the team as well. Ace had Tyler as a side kick, Tyler has Dean McGregor who is running really well as his side kick. They are like Batman and Robin. I will let them decide who is who."
Following the race at the University of Florida, Bennett along with teammate Emily Edwards, took an official visit to the school. Palmer says both enjoyed their time in Gator country and has encouraged them to keep their options open throughout the recruitment process. The Green Wave's number one runner will visit UNF this weekend, and several other schools in the coming weeks. No matter who lands Bennett they will be getting one of the top runners in the state. Palmer says if he continues to put in the work, the goals, and accolades will follow.
"Like everyone says, our goals are to run well at the state meet and see how high he can place. From there we will try to re-peak for Footlocker which is probably the major goal in the training. His training is looking great, and compared to last year he looks wonderful. Time will tell. It’s all about working every day, every week ,of every year."