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Northside’s Lee voted WDN Female Track Athlete of the Year
By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
YEATESVILLE — The sky is the limit for Suzanne Lee.
The Northside High School junior, who makes a habit of soaring through the air — whether it be on the track or in an airplane, has put together consecutive outstanding track seasons. Lee qualified for the NCHSAA Class 1-A state track meet in the high jump and 300-meter hurdle events as a sophomore, coming in her first year of track.
She topped those achievements this year, qualifying for the state meet in three events — the 300-meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles and high jump. Lee just missed out on a fourth, as her 1600-meter relay team placed fifth, one off the cutoff point.
After placing first in the 300 hurdles and second in both the 100 hurdles and high jump at regionals, Lee knew she’d be busy at the Irwin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University. She didn’t disappoint, coming away with a fourth-place medal in the 300 hurdles in a career-best time of 48.02 seconds.
While Lee has become one of the area’s premiere all-around athletes, the junior has also demonstrated that she is a team player. Whatever her coaches ask of her, Lee does so without batting an eye.
Because of her athletic prowess, character and sportsmanship, Lee has been voted the Daily News’ Female Track Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season.
“It feels great,” Lee said. “It’s a big honor.”
Her track coach, Charlie Woolard, said he was happy for Lee.
“As a coach and a father of three daughters of my own, I couldn’t be prouder if she had been my own daughter,” Woolard said. “Suzanne has learned early in life that achievement, either in the classroom or on the playing field, comes with dedication and continuous improvement. Believe it or not, my smile is for once bigger than the smile Suzanne normally has on her face.”
The WDN award was just the latest in a long list for Lee. Earlier this year, Lee was voted Northside High School’s Female Athlete of the Year.
“I was totally surprised by that,” Lee said. “Juniors never get that award. I was in shock.”
Lee, who is in the process of earning her pilot’s license, will even get her picture permanently displayed at school. Pictures are placed in a hallway of those athletes who have excelled in their respective sports.
“I finally get my picture on the wall,” Lee said with a big smile. “I finally got it after my junior year.”
Lee is a gifted athlete, but she also works hard for everything she achieves.
“Suzanne is the ideal athlete that all coaches would love to have,” assistant coach Jeff Probert said. “Her willingness to listen and work hard is commendable. Her attitude is always positive. Her progress in the high jump is a prime example of her coachability. Through sheer athletic ability, she qualified for the state meet last year, but did not make it past (four feet, six inches).
“At the beginning of this season, her approach and technique were changed. She was forced to start all over again and do things differently from the previous track season. Her willingness to make the changes and desire to excel enabled her to increase her high jump to 5-1 this season.”
Because of Lee’s versatility, Woolard used the junior in multiple events throughout the season.
“Suzanne has the physical ability to achieve success in any high school sports program and would be a welcome addition to any athletic team,” Woolard said. “She has proven this in volleyball, basketball and track and field. However, she brings to the playing field the will to win without attempting to be the center of attention.
“She offers something more important to the team and the coaching staff and that is flexibility in the game. Coaches decide what’s best for the overall team and she offers the willingness to participate where she is needed the most. Without this viewpoint in track and field, I am certain that our season wouldn’t have been as successful throughout the season.”
Woolard said he is just as proud of Lee’s abilities as he his of her demeanor.
“Few student-athletes are able to separate success in a sports program and remain focused upon certain personal attributes in life,” Woolard said. “Suzanne is one athlete who is able to think about others, not only in the daily smile she shares in and around school, but the positive attitude she has for others. Most students become envious of others’ success in life, but the students at Northside share in her achievements. I have come to recognize that either on the track, in the hallway or off the school grounds, the smile and the caring person is always right in front of you.”
Though Lee has already had two successful track seasons, Woolard expects even bigger and better things out of his star athlete.
“As a high school coach, I have only discovered the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Suzanne’s talent,” Woolard said. “Time limits what you are able to accomplish at the high school level. She has the desire to continue participating in this sport at the college level and it would be a shame if someone didn’t see what this young lady could accomplish under the right conditions.”
So what is Lee’s secret to her success?
“I just have fun doing it,” Lee said.
With that attitude, heaven only knows how far Lee will soar.
The Northside High School junior, who makes a habit of soaring through the air — whether it be on the track or in an airplane, has put together consecutive outstanding track seasons. Lee qualified for the NCHSAA Class 1-A state track meet in the high jump and 300-meter hurdle events as a sophomore, coming in her first year of track.
She topped those achievements this year, qualifying for the state meet in three events — the 300-meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles and high jump. Lee just missed out on a fourth, as her 1600-meter relay team placed fifth, one off the cutoff point.
After placing first in the 300 hurdles and second in both the 100 hurdles and high jump at regionals, Lee knew she’d be busy at the Irwin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University. She didn’t disappoint, coming away with a fourth-place medal in the 300 hurdles in a career-best time of 48.02 seconds.
While Lee has become one of the area’s premiere all-around athletes, the junior has also demonstrated that she is a team player. Whatever her coaches ask of her, Lee does so without batting an eye.
Because of her athletic prowess, character and sportsmanship, Lee has been voted the Daily News’ Female Track Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season.
“It feels great,” Lee said. “It’s a big honor.”
Her track coach, Charlie Woolard, said he was happy for Lee.
“As a coach and a father of three daughters of my own, I couldn’t be prouder if she had been my own daughter,” Woolard said. “Suzanne has learned early in life that achievement, either in the classroom or on the playing field, comes with dedication and continuous improvement. Believe it or not, my smile is for once bigger than the smile Suzanne normally has on her face.”
The WDN award was just the latest in a long list for Lee. Earlier this year, Lee was voted Northside High School’s Female Athlete of the Year.
“I was totally surprised by that,” Lee said. “Juniors never get that award. I was in shock.”
Lee, who is in the process of earning her pilot’s license, will even get her picture permanently displayed at school. Pictures are placed in a hallway of those athletes who have excelled in their respective sports.
“I finally get my picture on the wall,” Lee said with a big smile. “I finally got it after my junior year.”
Lee is a gifted athlete, but she also works hard for everything she achieves.
“Suzanne is the ideal athlete that all coaches would love to have,” assistant coach Jeff Probert said. “Her willingness to listen and work hard is commendable. Her attitude is always positive. Her progress in the high jump is a prime example of her coachability. Through sheer athletic ability, she qualified for the state meet last year, but did not make it past (four feet, six inches).
“At the beginning of this season, her approach and technique were changed. She was forced to start all over again and do things differently from the previous track season. Her willingness to make the changes and desire to excel enabled her to increase her high jump to 5-1 this season.”
Because of Lee’s versatility, Woolard used the junior in multiple events throughout the season.
“Suzanne has the physical ability to achieve success in any high school sports program and would be a welcome addition to any athletic team,” Woolard said. “She has proven this in volleyball, basketball and track and field. However, she brings to the playing field the will to win without attempting to be the center of attention.
“She offers something more important to the team and the coaching staff and that is flexibility in the game. Coaches decide what’s best for the overall team and she offers the willingness to participate where she is needed the most. Without this viewpoint in track and field, I am certain that our season wouldn’t have been as successful throughout the season.”
Woolard said he is just as proud of Lee’s abilities as he his of her demeanor.
“Few student-athletes are able to separate success in a sports program and remain focused upon certain personal attributes in life,” Woolard said. “Suzanne is one athlete who is able to think about others, not only in the daily smile she shares in and around school, but the positive attitude she has for others. Most students become envious of others’ success in life, but the students at Northside share in her achievements. I have come to recognize that either on the track, in the hallway or off the school grounds, the smile and the caring person is always right in front of you.”
Though Lee has already had two successful track seasons, Woolard expects even bigger and better things out of his star athlete.
“As a high school coach, I have only discovered the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Suzanne’s talent,” Woolard said. “Time limits what you are able to accomplish at the high school level. She has the desire to continue participating in this sport at the college level and it would be a shame if someone didn’t see what this young lady could accomplish under the right conditions.”
So what is Lee’s secret to her success?
“I just have fun doing it,” Lee said.
With that attitude, heaven only knows how far Lee will soar.
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