Sutton Webb started playing soccer at the age of 3 in a Salisbury Parks and Recreation League.
“I remember our training was to try to knock over as many plastic cones as possible before my teammates could reach them,” she said. “Not a lot of football was involved.”
Switching to competitive soccer at the age of seven, Sutton immediately fell in love with the sport, and has been her goal ever since. She played with the FCCA, then moved on to Lake Norman Soccer Club and finally to a huge club called Charlotte Independence. Sutton is now in his final year in the league and will end his soccer career this spring at Salisbury High School. Next year, Sutton will compete at the NCAA Division 1 level at the University of Georgia. An official signing will take place soon.
I had read about Sutton’s success in soccer and I was really not surprised when she became a cross country runner in her sophomore year. Sutton said, “I was a late addition to the team. They needed another runner before the start of the season and I was recruited by Ms. Pittman. I had minimal experience besides running on the soccer field every day. I raced my eighth grade at Sacred Heart Catholic School, but nothing like cross country.
Usually a new runner doesn’t achieve immediate success, but Sutton broke that mold by quickly becoming a factor against more seasoned runners. She said: “With the little racing experience I had, I was surprised at my success to a certain extent, especially since it came quite quickly. Having been in sports all my life, I am a very competitive person who is always looking to be successful. Knowing that I was new to cross country, I decided to push myself every day to become the best runner I can be. I believe this year my work has finally paid off.
Sutton’s best cross-country moments included qualifying for state competition as a junior, followed by county and conference runner of the year, finishing second in the region and setting a personal best. of 5K at 8:51 p.m., throughout his senior season. She competed in the state competition at Kernersville on Saturday, posting a time of 21: 29.07 for 27th place in Division 2A.
Sutton continued, “Football, track and field and cross country complement each other as they allow me each to continue to improve and be successful in the other. Cross country keeps my stamina at its best for football, especially since I was recruited to play wing in college, which requires playing both attacking and defending on the ground. The track, on the other hand, has helped me improve my sudden accelerations which are constantly used on the football field. Running has helped me stay in shape and while I’m not motivated to run sometimes, I know it makes me a better athlete. Besides the fitness part, running has also helped me make lifelong friendships which I am extremely grateful for. “
The other main interest of Sutton is to train. Earlier this year, she joined the Ultimate Athlete Gym in Charlotte, where she can likely be found when not on the soccer field or running. Sutton enjoys spending free time with his family and friends.
Grateful for each member of her family, Sutton says each of them has always been involved in their sport. She said, “My dad is John Webb, a local dentist, and he runs with me every now and then. Jamie Webb, my mom, is the Patient Care Coordinator at Hearing Solutions in Salisbury. She’s always there to cheer me on from the sidelines. My brother Lucas is twelve years old and is also very involved in sports. He plays football, basketball and track and field and is a stallion in all three. I strive to be the best role model I can be for him every day.
Already Rowan County’s Female Athlete of the Year as a junior, the future looks bright for Sutton Webb. Spring sports are approaching and she will balance both athletics and soccer with the cooperation of her coaches. On the track, she will run races of 100 meters, 800 meters, 1600 meters and several relays. Not bad for a girl who started running to complete the SHS cross country team.
The Clean Water 5K will take place at Grace Lutheran Church on Saturday, and the Girls on the Run 5K graduation ceremony is scheduled for Sunday. Find these and more upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org
