By Derrick Smith

Athletes put in a lot of hard work and effort to be the best they can at their sport. Whether it is in the weight room, at practice, or even putting in extra time outside of regular team practice. Morgan Maloney competes in cross country and she says that her sport requires mental preparation as much as it does physical preparation. “It takes commitment and resilience,” she said. “Cross country is a hard sport. It is really a race against myself. I have to prepare my mind and body to be the best I can be for my team.”

Maloney is a senior at Hooker High School. Along with cross country, she also plays softball and basketball for the Lady Bulldogs. She has made a lot of memories throughout her career, but one moment during the cross country season stands out as her favorite moment. “The highlight of my sports was a really good cross country postseason,” she said. “I was a part of the state runner up team and I finished fourteenth overall as a freshman.”

Morgan has had a number of people that have had an influence on her life, both as an athlete and as a person. But for her, there is one group of people that have made the biggest impact. “I look up to my whole family a lot,” she said. “They influence my life on a daily basis. Each one of them pushes me in different ways to be the best version of myself that I can be.”

When she is not competing in one of her sports, Maloney is involved in other groups around campus, one of which she spends a lot of her time. “I am a part of the Student Council, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Future Farmers of America organization. I am very involved in FFA. I show livestock, and it takes up a lot of my time. With my family’s help, I have learned how to balance all my activities and manage all the time each individual activity takes.”