Erzin has no shortage of spring sports, playing both football and the race track for Carlisle. The junior has shown that she can be good at both.
CARLISLE, Iowa – Junior Carlisle Ainsley Erzen is one of the state’s top runners this year, but that’s not what her head coach likes most about her.
“You can’t ask for much more from an athlete, especially when she’s doing these things,” said coach Mitchell Schank.
“She’s the greatest team athlete out there. In her lighter days, she’ll go out and ask someone if they want to get a [personal record] today and go out and walk them before you go alone. “
And his own stuff is pretty awesome.
In April, she became the first high school student in the Drake Relays to win the 400 and 800-meter races on the same day.
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“It was amazing,” Erzen said. “I think after not having the opportunity to be there for two years it was really hard, but I just had to believe that there was a plan for me and God had his timing set. even if it wasn’t my timing. “
But there you have it: the track isn’t Erzen’s only spring sport. She is also one of Carlisle’s best football players on a team that is having one of its best seasons. This sport was his first love, the track came next.
“I remember I didn’t want to do it,” she said. “I have always been one of the [the] the fastest girls on the soccer field, but running alone didn’t strike me as very exciting. “
Until his parents forced him to go to a 7th grade track camp.
“I was so angry but went there anyway at the end of the week there was a mile time trial with all the girls and guys and I beat everyone except a boy in eighth year.”
It scratched the itch of the competition and Ernzen was hooked.
“Reaching for a while and achieving victory has become an addiction,” she said. “They talk about a runner getting high and it sounds so old fashioned but it is so true.”
This competitiveness and dependence now pushes her to the top of the state within two teams.
“Having the opportunity to coach an elite athlete who wants to not only do well herself but also the team to do well could be a once in a lifetime opportunity,” added coach Schank.
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