FRENCHTOWN — Sorren Reese from Superior High School entered this track and field season as the defending State C girls javelin champion. But coming into her senior year, Reese added even more events to her plate, because after her high school career concludes at the end of this week, next season Reese will be a heptathlete at Carroll College.
After racking up plenty of experience in events like javelin and running, Reese entered the heptathlon world in club track and field last summer where the learning curve was immense.
"I loved it right away," Reese said. "It really shows a lot of mental toughness because when I competed in my first-ever heptathlon it was, you know, physically it was tiring but the mental toughness with trying all of these new events, especially with being experienced in javelin or running where I'm typically used to being considered decent at it, kind of starting at square one gets a little 'oh my gosh do I really want to do this.'"
Since picking up these new responsibilities, Reese has added events like shot put, hurdles and high jump to her resume this season as she prepares for the next level and the seven-event heptathlon.
For Reese, the challenge the event held drew her to it.
"There's so much I can work on is really exciting too," Reese said. "You're just constantly setting PR's and new standards for yourself which I think going into college and having a lot of positivity with that and that athletic aspect can push you in your academics as well because you have one more thing to be excited about and try hard on."
And challenges are right up her alley.
Reese has been a three-sport varsity athlete at both Alberton and Superior High Schools since she was a freshman, including in basketball her first two years, plus high school and club volleyball, as well as track and field.
Academically? She doesn't shy away there either as those challenges might be more present, because at Carroll she plans on studying biology and eventually transitioning to pre-med.
But those hurdles — literal or figurative — in athletics have her prepared for the next chapter.
"It's played an insane role in my life," Reese said. "In academics too and just as a person, a good person, I think it builds a lot of character and you can see a lot of different attitudes that develop in sports and they can be pretty bad or really, really good and I think it's up to the person to shine and show who they actually are.
"I could just see myself going as far as I can go since it is more of an individual sport. You can't really make excuses and you can go as far as you want to go. You kind of have to show up everyday if you want to show the world what you got."
Her decorated high school career will wrap up this week at the State C track and field meet in Great Falls, and while she admits there's pressure, Reese is doing all she can to remind herself of one simple element.
"I have to remind myself that if I don't win state or if that's not the outcome that happens at least I tried my best and just worked hard the whole time then it'll still pay off," Reese said. "I have four more years of it so I can always get better."
