Michelle Atherley will be the first to admit she is a huge daddy's girl. She wanted to do everything he did just as he did it. The Port Charlotte senior's father passed away when she was eight years old. On any given race day though, she carries his memory right there with her.
"I have a tattoo of him on my right shoulder blade. It's just reminds me that no matter what he's always got my back watching over me."
Atherley, finished third in the 100m and 300m hurdles last year at the 3A state meet. This year she is determined to finish first in those events while also focusing on the pentathlon. So determined she travels roughly three hours to West Palm Beach on the weekends and during long school breaks to train with the Fast Lane Track Club.
"I go down there whenever I can. Because we don't have much time together I've had kind of the quick book to learning the pentathlon. We do get in a bit of a workout, but most training days consists of me learning."
The multi-dimensional Atherley started out as a gymnast before she fell in love with track and field. She moved to Port Charlotte, where her cousin was the assistant coach for the girls team, for her sophomore season. After trying out for weightlifting she was convinced to try out for track and field and said it wasn't love at first sight.
"After the first few days of feeling like this sport was death I found my niche and started to enjoy it. I no longer do gymnastics, but it has definitely impacted my life as an athlete as well as a person. It gave me the discipline and work ethic I now apply to track. A gymnasts job is to make what they are doing look effortless but the amount of hard work and dedication put into the sport had thought me lot."
Florida doesn't have a major indoor season, but that hasn't stopped Atherley from getting in some competition. She already has two indoor meets under her belt and this weekend will mark number three. The senior, who admits her first love is the short hurdles (60mh and 100mh) will travel to Durham, North Carolina for the 2015 Eastern High School Challenge. There she will run the 60mh, long jump, triple jump, and compete in the 4x200m relay. She says competing indoors was important ever since decided she wanted to compete in collegiate track and field.
"I was determined to learn and gain as much experience as I could. I'm beyond happy that I've had the opportunity to participate in these indoor meets and train with coach walker. I feel like now that I know what an indoor season is I can continue to improve. I think especially because I have been learning more than conditioning; this indoor season is a great warm up for outdoor season. Now, I will be able to focus more on speed and the technical aspects of my events because I have the base."
The senior doesn't look at who is next to her on the track. She doesn't let her competition get to her. She's focused and driven to be the best she can be and has goals of winning all the hurdle events she competes in this year including AAU meets, the Disney T&F Classic, Florida Relays, and state meet. A late entrant to the college recruiting game, Atherley says she is still looking at schools and has taken two of the five official visits allowed.
"I am looking for a school that really supports their student athletes. Making sure there is a good balance between academics and athletics. Also, for my major and class sizes. The way the coaches interact with the athletes is also important. Making sure I will excel, continue to grow and enjoy myself is what I look for."
Atherley prides herself on self motivation and hard work. It's just the attributes her dad would have hoped for.
"My dad always believed that attitude is the most important thing. You control how you approach things. He said " Michelle you and only you can control how you feel. Have a positive attitude and you will have a positive life."