Discipline. Desire. Dedication. Those are the 3 D's that all the Estero High runners live by, and senior Daley Cline is no exception. With two state cross country team titles and two 4x800 titles, Cline's dedication to the 3 D's paid off as she recently announced her verbal commitment to the University of Alabama.
"There was not one negative thing I could pick out about Alabama. The school is huge, with a beautiful campus and an awesome football team," Cline said. "The athletic facilities and perks for athletes were so impressive I can't even put it into words!"
Besides Bama, Cline seriously considered the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Central Florida, but ultimately wanted both a bigger school and an out-of-state one. With a team atmosphere and coaching staff she saw herself being a part of, Cline knew Alabama was the overall best choice.
"The team seems close-knit and is full of talent, and I know their competitiveness will push me a lot," she said. "From the first time I met Coach Tribble I knew he was exactly the type of coach I wanted in college, incredibly knowledgeable, motivational and one who will push you to your absolute best."
On the team, Cline won't be the only Floridian- 2013 3A State Champion Emily Edwards and Runner-Up Caroline Barlow currently run for the Tide. Cline will also get to run with St. Thomas Aquinas standout and 2013 4A State Champion Alexa Cruz, a recent commit.
"I actually had no idea she [Alexa] was considering there, or had committed there until someone on my team mentioned it," Cline said. "Words cannot describe how excited I am that we both are going there!"
Cline, who plans to room with Cruz at Alabama, is currently undecided in her major. She is considering something involving writing, which makes Alabama, with its strong Creative Writing program, even more appealing.
For now, though, she plans on focusing on the state series and hopefully winning district and regional titles. After a disappointing junior season and a slow start this year, Cline's goal is to improve on her PR of 18:38.67 at the 2013 state meet, where she placed sixth. With the stress of recruitment behind her, Cline wants to run her post-season as focused and unencumbered as possible.
"I've been getting really stressed out about running good times for colleges, and I when I didn't hit them, I would get down on myself," said Cline. "I know now I can finally relax, run with a free mind, and enjoy the rest of my final high school cross country season!"
