Who is Meredith Washburn?
Meredith Washburn has been a two-athlete student for three years now. During her sophomore year, she had made the decision to join two new sports teams.
“Meredith is a kind, sweet, and unselfish individual. She makes everyone around her smile and happy. She is never negative and always makes the best of a situation that is presented,” coach Teodoro Campos said.
Meredith is a tennis athlete in the fall and on the track team in the spring. Little did she know that these sports would give her outstanding strength and sportsmanship to her teammates.
Throughout the three years of improvement and giving and receiving support from her teammates, coaches, and family, she has become an incredible athlete and friend to many others.
She is supportive of her little sister, Olivia, who is a freshman on varsity tennis. She shows her the ropes of tennis and reflects her support onto Olivia. She is also very supportive to all her teammates on both the tennis and track team.
“My parents encourage me to be the best I can and to work hard for what I want, and my coaches tell me how to do that and keep me positive,” Meredith said.
Meredith has noticed from all the teams she has ever been on, her teammates are the people who cheer and support her the most. In tennis she loves to hear teammates, Laney Torbit, Bella and Sophie Gamm cheer and call her all the fun nicknames they come up with.
While having the support from her teammates in the fall, she also does in the spring. During track season, senior Cannon Cunningham and junior Jack Ryan, her teammates on the team, always stay to watch her compete. She has many other teammates and coaches who give her support during a meet or practice everyday.
Pushing Through
At GACs one year, Meredith had injured her knee during one of her last vaults. She dealt with that set-back going into districts and supported her team. She managed to get second in the varsity girl’s pole vault but was still not able to compete. At practice the next week, Meredith was barely able to run or pole vault because her knee was still so swollen.
By districts on the following Saturday, Meredith was healthy and able to compete and ended up winning in pole vault.
When she is not playing she is watching and cheering her teammates on. Coach Dupske said, “Meredith showed how dedicated and driven she was to the sport and her teammates.”
Nerves in Waynesville
At the Waynesville meet last year, Meredith was extremely nervous because of the unfamiliar schools she was competing against. This meet was very stressful for her since her coach and family weren’t there to help support. After her first jump, she heard a bunch of cheering and yelling from the side. She had looked over to see some of her teammates and Dupske cheering her on.
Her support shown throughout the years has influenced her teammates and rewarding her with the same support she gives to others. After everyone had completed and all the nerves Meredith was feeling, she was declared the winner and got much support from those teammates.
What’s the Plan?
Meredith plans to go to college, but is unsure where yet. She wants to major in engineering and continue pole vaulting as well. She’s hoping to work hard this track season and earn a scholarship for pole vault that will finalize her decision on where to go. In college, Meredith will continue to support her teammates in any situation no matter how nervous or stressed she is feeling for her event.
