GIRLS WINNER: Shelby Davidson - Junior @ Cocoa Beach
ARTICLE BY JASON BYRNE
It was only last year that Cocoa Beach junior Shelby Davidson ran in her first track meet. Up until then it was softball that occupied her springs and summers. Not anymore. She found sudden success as a sophomore on the cross country course; fast-forward to a year later, last fall, and she catapulted to flat-out national elite status when she qualified for Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego--essentially the pinnacle of a high school cross country career.
This track season, the first since her rise to prep stardom, the junior is already off to a great start. Though just three weeks into the season, she's already shaved 30 seconds off of last year's 3200 best--an 11:28 6th place in the 2A State Meet--and 14 seconds off of her 1600 mark. Last Friday at the Holy Trinity Invitational she notched a 5:09 1600 win, followed by a new state leading 10:58 for the 3200.
Davidson will be among the group of 18 Floridians competing at New Balance Indoor Nationals this weekend, six of which will be her competitors in the 5000 meter race. The meet will be the first true indoor national championship in years... previous seasons have seen two competing national meets, but this year they will fly under one banner at the famed Armory in New York City.
For Davidson it will be the first indoor race of her career. And Coach Cecilia Walker says she's a little worried about the new experience and the banked 200 meter oval that will she will have to circle 25 times before her race is through.
"She's never run on an indoor track and is a little worried about it getting redundant," Coach Walker said, "I just keep telling her it will be fun and there is always someone there with you, just don't get lost on the corners."
But while she may have a little concern about indoor race strategy, those nerves will not likely play a factor when she toes the line this weekend.
"Nothing bothers her... she's not one of these athletes who over analyzes her competition.... never gets nervous... she just gets up there and get it done," says her coach, "I don't know if I've ever seen an athlete so focused."
Focused. That seems to be the one word that best describes Shelby. Earlier in the evening her mom, Debbie, used that same language to describe her daughter.
"Shelby is just an extremely focused young lady. She is like that with everything, whether it is school work or running. She takes IB classes, you know," her mom added proudly before continuing. "She is just incredibly driven... she'll come home from school, eat dinner, and then study until 1AM. She wants to be the best at everything she does."
Coach Walker described her as "silently confident" and says Shelby has big expectations. "She has a lot of big goals... she knows wants and she is willing to do whatever it takes to get there. She's not vocal about it, not cocky... just puts it all inside her and works hard every day."
"She's all business about her training," said Debbie Davidson, "running is her life."
Davidson is not the only one with big goals, Coach Walker said of the expectations she has of her athlete for this weekend: "She is in extremely good shape right now... I wouldn't be surprised to see her go under 17. She's had some really impressive workouts... at least 17:10, I'd say."
More on Shelby:
- Athlete Profile
- Shelby Davidson: Finding the Strength to Go Faster (Feature Article)
- Video Interview after XC State Runner-Up
- Video Interview after Qualifying for Foot Locker Nationals
- Video Interview at Foot Locker Nationals
BOYS WINNER: Arman Hall - Junior @ St. Thomas Aquinas
ARTICLE BY TODD GRASLEY
St. Thomas Aquinas junior Arman Hall takes track seriously and it shows. Last week Hall ran in the prestigious Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle and clocked a 47.45 the fastest indoor time of the year. He followed that up this week at the Sam Burley Invitational with a national outdoor leading time in the 200 of 20.86 and 47.66 for 400.
Head coach Alex Armenteros credits Hall’s growth to hard work and dedication to the program.
“His work ethic is one of the best I’ve seen. There isn’t one day I have to get on him about not working hard. In fact, sometimes I have to tell him to tone it down a little bit. Sometimes we have to keep him on a clock because if we don’t he’ll go out there and give 110 percent every day. He has great work ethic on and off the field.”
One of the St. Thomas standouts biggest rivals is last week’s Warrior of the Week, Hugh Graham Jr. of Miami Northwestern. Hall’s goal for the year is to run with Hugh and be one of the top kids in the state and battle him for a state championship. At this weekend’s Sam Burley Hall of Fame Invitational he beat Graham in the 200 with a meet record and nation leading time of 20.82. He also ran an incredible 47.66 to get the win in the quarter.
Coach Armenteros admits that Hall hasn’t always been a house hold name, something they plan to fix.
“Arman Hall has always been the type of kid that people know who he is but never stood out like a sore thumb. In AAU, he was always beat out in the sprints by Jerimy Strainge. He’s been beaten by Hugh. This is a year he’s trying to change that pattern.
That process is paying off through hard work but also through Hall’s leadership skills. A process that has seen him grow as a runner and as a man.
“Since his freshman year he has been in a real good program and was just another part of that but this year he is our leader. He didn’t just take the role of being another good athlete on a great program. I think that’s one of the key things that has been helping us this year. He’s one of the team captains and one of the best leaders on this team.
Armenteros, who has coached Hall throughout his high school career and says the story hasn’t come to an end. He says his senior star has big plans for the future.
“I definitely think he is on pace to finish off the season and do incredible things. I think this year he set a lot of goals for himself and one is to go to the Junior World Games this year. That is the main focus but we still have to run a high school track season and that’s the game plan but his ultimate goal is the summer.”
More on Arman:
GIRLS WINNER: Shelby Davidson - Junior @ Cocoa Beach
ARTICLE BY JASON BYRNE