Student Athlete of the Month: Maddy Drager, PHS CrossbrCountry
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BybrAnderson Brown
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Cross country season is underway and Paysonbrhigh school senior and team captain, Maddie Drager is already off to a goodbrstart, shaving two minutes off her time from last year. Coach Stan Peck saysbrthat Maddie is a success on and off the course.
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“Maddy is awesome,” Peck said. “She is a 4.0brstudent. She has been working hard all summer and is already almost two minutesbrahead of her ending PR last year. She is liked by everyone and is one of thebrsweetest, thoughtful people that I know.”
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Maddy started running cross country last yearbrduring her junior year and says she enjoys it and that it’s also a challenge.
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“I started running cross country junior year,”brshe said. “This is currently my second year of cross country and I absolutelybrlove it. I enjoy seeing my hard work pay off. My team is like another family tobrme. I love the scenic runs, and the feeling of accomplishment after a difficultbrrun.”
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Running hasn’t always been easy for Maddy.brLast year she had a spasm of her vocal cords, making it hard for her to breathebrand even finishing a run. After working hard to control her vocal cords Maddybrsays she is finally overcoming it. She said that she is grateful forbrchallenges.
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“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’tbrchange you,” she said. “Cross country isn’t something that you wake up onebrday and say hey I want to run seven miles. You have to build up to it. Crossbrcountry is a challenge, but like anything it takes time to overcome that. Bebrpatient with yourself. Celebrate every accomplishment big or small. Every stepbrforward is a step in the right direction.
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Maddy says her goals for this season are tobrhit a 21 minute 5K, and to become a better team captain so that when herbrteammates need help, they will think of her. (Brown is a sophomore at Payson High School and lifelong soccer player.brHe enjoys learning about the athletic journeys of other student-athletesbrthrough writing this column.)
