For The Tribune

When Alexis Gross got into Seymour Middle School and was old enough to join athletic teams, her father encouraged to begin running.

“My dad (Tom) ran track and cross-country all through middle school and high school (at Brownstown) and so I just got into running. I ran in fourth and fifth grades in their little running club that they had.”

Gross competed in track four years and in cross-country three years in high school, and in both sports, she said she enjoyed her teammates and meeting new people.

The senior competed in the 4×400 and 4×100 relays, and the 100, 200 and 400.

Gross said her love for running started at Seymour Middle School.

“I think I fell in love with it in middle school,” she said. “The coach I had, Coach (Jennifer) Hildreth, encouraged me to keep doing better in it because it was the race I was good at.

Of the relays, Gross said the 4×400 is her favorite.

“I like to run first leg, and I like to be in the first lane,” she said. “A good split for me would be a 1:08. I just like the fact that it’s our own little team that we have working together to try and beat all the other schools. I like that.”

Gross said she believes the track team has been successful and won sectional because of numbers.

“I like the fact that there are a lot of different people that are in track, and it has its own little sections,” she said. “It’s nice to get a variety of teammates.”

For Gross, her highlight race came during the 2015 track season.

“It was in the 4×400 relay,” she said. “We were behind and Mikaela Grout was running and she was behind, and she beat the other girl at the last second.”

Gross said athletes should attend practices to improve their skills.

“It’s really important to get your practices in, not just improving yourself, but it helps you improve your team, and just working together and encouraging each other,” Gross said.

Gross feels like she has received a good education at SHS.

“They’ve given me a lot of opportunities, a different variety of classes to choose from,” she said. “The teacher and everyone is amazing and just the support.

“I’m going to remember all my coaches and how they encouraged me not only in the sports I did, but in school and life, and they really taught me to stay positive and keep doing what I love.”

[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Gross file” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Name: Alexis Gross

School: Seymour High School

Parents: Tom and Heather Gross

Sibling: Ethan

Sports: track 4 years, cross-country 3 years

Athletic honors: track-2016 most improved

Organizations: National Honor Society

Plans after high school: attend Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

Favorite food: enchiladas

Favorite movie: Harry Potter series

Favorite team: Indiana University

[sc:pullout-text-end]