Hardin Earns Gamer of the Week Honors
Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc. and The Putnam Herald are pleased to present this week’s Female Gamer of the Week to Senior, Ella Hardin of the Hurricane High School Cross Country team.
Ella Hardin, a senior at Hurricane High School, is making headlines this season as she not only leads her cross country team but also recently broke the school’s girls cross country record with an impressive time of 18:04, surpassing the previous record of 18:23.
Ella first laced up her running shoes in sixth grade when she joined the cross country team alongside her friend Addie. What began as a way to support a friend has blossomed into a passion that has shaped her high school experience and forged lifelong friendships. “I really enjoy the running community, thanks to this sport I have friends from all over the state and the boys on my team; everyone is always so supportive, even when you are on opposing teams.”
This season, Ella aims to reach new heights at the West Virginia State Cross Country Meet, where she is expected to compete for an individual state championship. “I really want to see how far I can go at states,” she said.
Ella’s determination is fueled by her role models, including former teammates Asha Bora and Audrey Hall, who now compete at the collegiate level. “I have looked up to them since I started running for hurricane high. They have both worked and still work so hard to be where they are today, and even when things get tough they never give up, and they inspire me to do the same.
Another of my role models is Kathrine Switzer. She was the first woman to ever officially run the Boston marathon and aspire to work just as hard as her.”
Hurricane High’s cross country team has seen success this season, thanks in part to dedicated coaching and a strong team spirit. “We all work so hard whether we are at practice or at a meet and we give 110% to make sure that we are the best runners that we can be. We have great coaches that are there for us every step of the way.”
Beyond cross country, Ella is active in various clubs, including Helping Paws, National Honors Society, National Art Honors Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Environmental Club. She also runs track in the spring and was recently awarded MSAC Runner of the Year. With aspirations to continue her running career in college and pursue a doctorate in zoology, Ella plans to travel to places like Africa and Asia to study animals in their natural habitat.
As she heads into the state meet next Saturday, her coach reflects on her journey: “Ella is such a hard worker. She is truly disciplined and desires to get better and better by putting in the countless hours of training a week that is required to compete at such a high level. After winning both the MVAC Conference Championship and the Region 4 XC Championship, Really excited to see how she caps off her senior season of XC. I really can't believe she is a senior since I've had the opportunity to coach her for the last 7 years between Middle School and High School.”
With her record-breaking performance and steadfast commitment to the sport, Ella Hardin is not only a standout athlete but also a role model for future generations of runners at Hurricane High School.
Please look for other local high school athletes to be named in next week’s Female Gamer of the Week Sponsored by Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc. and The Putnam Herald.
MEGAN SCARBERRY, MS, CPT, POTENTIAL PLUS INSTRUCTOR AT TEAYS PHYSICAL THERAPY CENTER INC.