LAUREL — Roberts senior TJ Chirrick is going to be awfully busy next year.
The Rockets' multi-sport standout will be both running track and playing basketball at Montana Tech, giving her quite the workload.
"It's definitely going to be a lot, but I think since I've always grown up doing multiple sports and having a lot on my plate I think it will be easier and I'll be able to handle it pretty well with putting school first, of course, but making sure my sports are there, too, as they've always been," Chirrick said.
Chirrick is the younger sister of current Montana State basketball star Taylee Chirrick, who owns multiple Class C state track and field records. After years of looking up to Taylee, TJ got some words of wisdom, so to speak, as she makes one final run.
"Me and her both always get really stressed out before we run. Nerves are really big in our family," Chirrick said. "Making sure that we're focused on doing well and not too serious is the biggest thing."
The only thing really missing from TJ's list of accolades is individual gold. She'll be a threat across the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs, and even picked up the 300-meter hurdles this spring.
Chirrick currently sits No. 2 in Class C in the 800 (2 minutes, 28.56 seconds), No. 2 in the 1,600 (5:40.96), and No. 4 in the 3,200 (13:10.03). Her time of 49.68 in the 300 hurdles is No. 3 in Class C.
"I really like running in 5ks and 5-miles. I've done a half marathon, but I think those train me mores o for cross country and track. Then when I do things like the 300 hurdles last week, I was like, 'Dang, this is easy,' because I'd been running eight laps around the track," Chirrick said.
Less than a month remains before Chirrick takes aim at state gold in Missoula.
