Panthers' Haddock coming on strong
A weightlifting program is helping her close out her final season in impressive fashion.
By LARRY BUGG
Published October 12, 2005
LECANTO - People who know Tara Haddock notice she almost always is smiling. Lately, the Lecanto senior captain has been giving her coaches, teammates, family and fans plenty of reason to smile.
Haddock has been doing heavy weightlifting in a class at school. While she's working to improve her strength for basketball, Haddock's lifting has made her a much-improved runner.
Haddock finished 10th in the Lecanto Invitational on Sept. 17. She was the top Citrus County female runner with a 20:37 performance. Crystal River senior Holly Van Sicklen placed 13th in 20:50. Lecanto coach Dan Epstein has noticed the extra strength and improved speed.
"She has been concentrating on lifting to get her ready for basketball, and it has paid off in her running," Epstein said. "Holly blew them away at the Red Mule. She (Haddock) beat Holly at Land O'Lakes. That gave Tara more confidence in her running.
"In any sport, strength is the key," Epstein said. "She is now my No. 1 runner. Taylor Cooke is an outstanding athlete in swimming. They (Haddock and Cooke) are the type of athletes who excel. They both achieve well in school."
Haddock has a cumulative grade point average of 3.979, and she wants to graduate with a 4.0 or better. Epstein admires Haddock.
"She has a tremendous drive," the coach said. "Tara is a rah-rah type. She likes the other girls to complete the workouts. The other day, she told me the workout was too easy."
Epstein said Haddock hasn't had any injuries that have been detrimental.
"I don't think injury is an option for her," he said. "Between basketball, cross country and studying, she doesn't have time for an injury."
Haddock is a role model, the sort any coach wants on his team.
"She is an all-around great kid," Epstein said. "She always comes to practice with a positive attitude. She is one of those athletes who has been a pleasure to coach. You tell her to do it and she does it."
The 5-foot-10, 150-pound Haddock is quick to give credit to the weight training. "It's been helping," Haddock said. "I finish a race and I'm not tired. When I first started running, I felt dead coming across the line."
Haddock runs for a talented program. The 2004 team placed fourth in the state, and she could cap her high school career with a strong finish that sparks the Panthers to another impressive performance in the championship meet.
Haddock entered her senior season not expecting to be the squad's top runner much less the county. She was No. 2 behind Cooke, a junior. Cooke had stress fractures in both legs. Haddock won a triathlon at Crystal River last summer but avoided running for most of the summer, so she's having a hard time realizing how good of a runner she is.
"It hasn't really hit me yet," Haddock said. "I wanted my senior year to break 20 minutes. I wasn't looking to be the top runner. I knew Taylor was coming back from an injury. I worked hard to see where I could be. It has paid off."
She hopes to compete in college cross country and/or track and possibly play basketball as a walk-on.
"I don't know if I would want to take my chances," Haddock said. "I love to run. I would want to play basketball. If I could get a half basketball and half cross-country scholarship, I would take it. If I could choose, I would take basketball."
Haddock might leave Lecanto as one of the school's best runners. "The way I look it is this could be my last year running cross country," she said. "I want to give it my best. I want to leave with a good feeling. It might be my best."
She will continue doing the heavy lifting. "I will keep working out at the school," Haddock said. "I will have weightlifting all year."
Her dream always has been to "play in the WNBA. I'm a little too short for that." So, instead, Haddock "would like to be a physical therapist or in sports management. I definitely want to coach high school or college."
Haddock has been on the track team's 4x800 relay squad, which has run at state three straight years. She wants her relay to make it to the finals again. In the meantime, Haddock will continue to smile constantly.
ON THE WEBHave a question for one of our prep writers? Want to check in on our writers' blog on the season? Nominate someone for Athlete of the Month? Contact the staff? For this and more, visit www.sptimes.com/highschool