Sport: Varsity Track

Grade: 11

Accomplishment:

Erika won her second consecutive gold medal in high jump at the 2015 PIAA State Track and Field Championships in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania on Friday, May 22 2015.  Her  5-8 jump tied her personal best.

Coach Steve Everhart’s Quote:

“The thing I like most about being Erika’s coach is just watching her smile and enjoy herself,” said Everhart, “She’s still like a third-grader kicking up sand in a sandbox whenever she’s healthy and jumping.  She’s also brilliant, funny, and humble, of course. In fact, if it were up to me, in a post-apocalyptic scenario, I’d advise the U.S. government to harvest Erika’s DNA to repopulate the world. Civilization would be much more civilized, not to mention higher-jumping.”

10 Questions:

1. How did you first get involved in this sport?

We had Track and Field days in 3rd – 6th grade. Whenever I hit 7th grade, I decided to join the Junior High team. The rest is history.

2. What other sport(s) do you play?

Indoor Track and Field

3. Favorite professional sports team?

Team USA

4. Favorite professional athlete?

Chante Lowe

5. Who is your hero? Why?

My coaches and trainers are my heroes. They put up with my babbling of track 24/7 and help me compete in a sport I love.

6. Favorite band/musician?

Andy Mineo

7. Favorite movie?

Iron Man III

8. Favorite food?

Spaghetti

9. What advice would you give younger athletes?

Never give up. If you ever want to accomplish anything, you can’t just quit when it gets hard. In the end, through all the struggles, it’s worth the fight.

10. What are your future goals?

In the short term, to go to college and  jump on a college track and field team. A few years down the road, I’d like to participate in the US Olympic Trials.