PA Salute To Seniors: Abby Warner - North Schuylkill HS
What was your most memorable race/competition?
This is a tough one to choose; I remember nearly every race that I've ever run and they've all meant a lot to me. I guess I would have to say that the District XI Cross Country meet this past year would be the most memorable because I wasn't supposed to be able to compete that day. I'd had a freak accident in gym class two weeks prior which left me with a broken big toe & my doctor told me it was unlikely I'd be able to finish my season. I missed my last dual meet and league meet, then came back to place 14th at Districts and earn a return trip to states on three days back into running.
Where did you face your biggest competition?
I'd have to say that the state meet, both in 2012 and 2013, was where I faced my biggest competition; that's pretty self-explanatory, since so many amazing teams and individual athletes qualify for that meet.
Out of all of your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
Individually, I'd say having the opportunity to qualify for states twice after having an incredibly rough freshman and sophomore year, medically, as well as committing to run at Edinboro would be the biggest of my high school accomplishments. As a team, in our first dual meet of the season we ended a team's two year undefeated streak; that was something no one expected.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change about your athletic career in high school?
I would have taken much better care of myself the first two years of my high school career; maybe then I wouldn't have had the medical issues that I did and could have become a stronger runner more quickly.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
I won't get into the gory details, but my freshman year track season and sophomore year cross country season were plagued by a health condition, the latter being the worse of the two instances. I was in the hospital and seeing specialists from July 4th 2011 until right around mid-September 2011 and wasn't cleared to run until September. Despite not having any summer training under my belt as I usually would, I came back to miss states by two places, which only motivated me and led to future success.
What will you miss the most?
I'll definitely miss my high school teammates and my head coach the most. They've all helped and inspired me so much over the past four years and I wish them all the best for the upcoming season(s). I'll also miss my friends from the other Schuylkill League teams (Paige, Gabby, Shannon, Sarah, Courtney, Courtney, Lindsay, Caroline; I love you guys)
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
In order to be successful, you not only have to have a strong work ethic, you must also have a passion for running and a positive mindset. You can't force yourself to love something if it's not there and you have to believe in yourself, no matter what. Everything happens for a reason; be patient and work hard, you'll see results.
How have your coaches influenced your performances and your life goals overall?
I was very fortunate to have had some of the greatest coaches throughout my entire high school career. Both my track and cross country coaches have taught me more about myself than I even knew and continue to inspire me every single day. They've always believed in me and been there through everything, positive and negative. I don't think I could have become the athlete or person that I am today without either of them.
What are your college plans?
I am incredibly blessed to have been recruited by Edinboro University of Pennsylvania to run both cross country and track and field. While attending the university, I plan on majoring in Nursing in hopes to become a Nurse Anaesthetist or Nurse Practitioner.
Shout-Outs?
Jess Yeneskie & Nikki Kane, I love you both, you are two of my greatest friends and you two are going to be amazing this year (and all those after); you just have to make sure you both believe in yourselves the way that I believe in the both of you. Oh yeah, and remember, no more walking tree this year, okay? :)
Dave Sokoloski & Colin "Juice" Ahrensfield, thank you both for being the best friends and training partners that a girl could possibly ask for. I don't know what I'll do without you two when I leave, but the memories we've made will always remain some of my favorites. Good luck to both of you this season; go get that banner!
Finally, my little sister, Ciara. You know exactly what you have to do to achieve your goals and I'll be there to help you every step of the way. I couldn't be more proud of everything that you have accomplished throughout your first year of cross country and I look forward to seeing you do big things in the seasons to come. I love you buddy; you'll always be my number one fan and I will certainly always be yours.
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