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Do IT this week: Layering
By Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 06:24 p.m. EDT, May 27, 2009
Most, if not all, of North Canton junior track standout Allison Peare's opponents follow her, but it is off the track where she prides herself in being in the lead.
Peare is one of the top 800-meter runners in the state. She holds the school record in the event with a time of 2:12.38.
She's qualified for the state meet in cross country the past three seasons and she's hoping to qualify for state for the second straight year in track.
But what's most important to Peare is that she sets a good example not only for her teammates, but also for her younger sister, Kelsey, who is an eighth-grader and an outstanding athlete at North Canton Middle School, and her 10-year-old brother Matt, who also is athletic.
''I know I have to work hard because the younger girls on the team look up to me and I have to show them that I'm dedicated. And when they see that, they become more dedicated as well,'' Peare said.
''And I know I have a big influence on Kelsey because she tells me when I run well, it makes her want to run well in her meets the next day,'' Allison said. ''But she has a big influence on me. I'm actually worried about her because she's fast and she'll run some of the same events I run. And Matt plays so many sports, we all go to his games to support him.''
North Canton distance coach Jason Kirkland said he's proud of what Peare brings to the team, from a leadership standpoint.
''Ally's work ethic is above anyone elses when it comes to how much she pushes herself,'' Kirkland said. ''I'll give her a pace to run in practice and she wants to run it a few seconds faster. That [mentality] carries over into meets because we tell the kids how you practice is how you race. That's very clear to Ally. And I love her willingness to do anything for the team.''
Early in the season, Peare competed in the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200 races at various meets along with several relays. In the district meet last week, she only competed in the 800 and the 3,200 relay.
''At the beginning of the season, I was running in four events but I knew I wasn't going to have the fastest times,'' Peare said. ''I just knew it was going to make me stronger and my times would drop toward the end of the season.''
Peare's mom, Janet Peare, who is an associate principal at the high school, remembers the first time she really realized her daughter had potential in track.
And Allison wasn't even on the track.
She was playing softball.
''Ally played on a travel softball team when she was younger and as I watched her run the bases, it was evident to me, there was no way she was going to be a softball player,'' said Janet Peare, a former state champ in the 400. She was North Canton's first state champion in track.
''I think I broke my husband Dan's heart when I said that. But then I told him, 'Oh no, she's a runner.' ''
Double threat
Not only is Allison an accomplished runner, she also is a solid basketball player. She was a starting guard for girls varsity coach Paul Wackerly.
During the fall, Peare runs cross country and as soon as the season ends, she goes right into basketball season.
Although she can't put in the same amount of miles other runners put in during the winter, Peare is still getting a workout, thanks to Wackerly.
''He makes us run, a lot,'' Peare said. ''We run shorter distances but that helps me with my speed.''
Janet Peare said she's excited about her daughter's future because of the potential she possesses.
''One thing that makes me proud is that Ally has never run all year round and she still does well,'' Janet Peare said. ''I'm just amazed at what she can do during track season without the training during the winter. To me, it's so exciting to see what her potential is.''
As a freshman, Peare finished fifth in the 1,600 at regional, with the top four finishers at regionals qualifying for state.
Last year, she finished fifth at state in the 800.
Family affair
Meanwhile, Allison's dad does his part.
Not only is he the official photographer for Team Peare, he's also the official travel coordinator.
It's not unusual to see Dan Peare's 30-foot camper parked in a parking lot at meets, surrounded by huge North Canton Vikings flags waving and smoke wafting through the air from his gas grill.
He's hoping his daughter qualifies for state, but if she doesn't, he'll still drive his camper down to Columbus on Thursday, the day before the state tournament, to set things up.
''It gives the kids a great place to sit with the [air conditioning] if it's hot outside or if it's raining,'' Dan Peare said. ''It's also a place for the kids to get away from all the commotion.
''It also gives the parents a chance to do some tailgating because we cook hot dogs and things for everyone. But it's really a celebration because sometimes people take for granted how hard it is to make it to state. So when I'm down there with my camper, we try to bring the community together.''
Janet Peare agreed with her husband.
''With a little luck and hard work, anything can happen,'' Janet Peare said. ''You just have to love and embrace the experience. You have to live in the moment because it is a celebration of accomplishments. Whatever happens that day happens, but you become part of an elite group when you qualify for state. That's why it's a celebration not only for the athletes, but for their family, their friends, their school and the entire community.''
David Lee Morgan Jr. can be reachedat dlmorgan@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Varsity Letters high school sports blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/varsity_letters/.
Most, if not all, of North Canton junior track standout Allison Peare's opponents follow her, but it is off the track where she prides herself in being in the lead.
Peare is one of the top 800-meter runners in the state. She holds the school record in the event with a time of 2:12.38.
She's qualified for the state meet in cross country the past three seasons and she's hoping to qualify for state for the second straight year in track.
But what's most important to Peare is that she sets a good example not only for her teammates, but also for her younger sister, Kelsey, who is an eighth-grader and an outstanding athlete at North Canton Middle School, and her 10-year-old brother Matt, who also is athletic.
''I know I have to work hard because the younger girls on the team look up to me and I have to show them that I'm dedicated. And when they see that, they become more dedicated as well,'' Peare said.
''And I know I have a big influence on Kelsey because she tells me when I run well, it makes her want to run well in her meets the next day,'' Allison said. ''But she has a big influence on me. I'm actually worried about her because she's fast and she'll run some of the same events I run. And Matt plays so many sports, we all go to his games to support him.''
North Canton distance coach Jason Kirkland said he's proud of what Peare brings to the team, from a leadership standpoint.
''Ally's work ethic is above anyone elses when it comes to how much she pushes herself,'' Kirkland said. ''I'll give her a pace to run in practice and she wants to run it a few seconds faster. That [mentality] carries over into meets because we tell the kids how you practice is how you race. That's very clear to Ally. And I love her willingness to do anything for the team.''
Early in the season, Peare competed in the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200 races at various meets along with several relays. In the district meet last week, she only competed in the 800 and the 3,200 relay.
''At the beginning of the season, I was running in four events but I knew I wasn't going to have the fastest times,'' Peare said. ''I just knew it was going to make me stronger and my times would drop toward the end of the season.''
Peare's mom, Janet Peare, who is an associate principal at the high school, remembers the first time she really realized her daughter had potential in track.
And Allison wasn't even on the track.
She was playing softball.
''Ally played on a travel softball team when she was younger and as I watched her run the bases, it was evident to me, there was no way she was going to be a softball player,'' said Janet Peare, a former state champ in the 400. She was North Canton's first state champion in track.
''I think I broke my husband Dan's heart when I said that. But then I told him, 'Oh no, she's a runner.' ''
Double threat
Not only is Allison an accomplished runner, she also is a solid basketball player. She was a starting guard for girls varsity coach Paul Wackerly.
During the fall, Peare runs cross country and as soon as the season ends, she goes right into basketball season.
Although she can't put in the same amount of miles other runners put in during the winter, Peare is still getting a workout, thanks to Wackerly.
''He makes us run, a lot,'' Peare said. ''We run shorter distances but that helps me with my speed.''
Janet Peare said she's excited about her daughter's future because of the potential she possesses.
''One thing that makes me proud is that Ally has never run all year round and she still does well,'' Janet Peare said. ''I'm just amazed at what she can do during track season without the training during the winter. To me, it's so exciting to see what her potential is.''
As a freshman, Peare finished fifth in the 1,600 at regional, with the top four finishers at regionals qualifying for state.
Last year, she finished fifth at state in the 800.
Family affair
Meanwhile, Allison's dad does his part.
Not only is he the official photographer for Team Peare, he's also the official travel coordinator.
It's not unusual to see Dan Peare's 30-foot camper parked in a parking lot at meets, surrounded by huge North Canton Vikings flags waving and smoke wafting through the air from his gas grill.
He's hoping his daughter qualifies for state, but if she doesn't, he'll still drive his camper down to Columbus on Thursday, the day before the state tournament, to set things up.
''It gives the kids a great place to sit with the [air conditioning] if it's hot outside or if it's raining,'' Dan Peare said. ''It's also a place for the kids to get away from all the commotion.
''It also gives the parents a chance to do some tailgating because we cook hot dogs and things for everyone. But it's really a celebration because sometimes people take for granted how hard it is to make it to state. So when I'm down there with my camper, we try to bring the community together.''
Janet Peare agreed with her husband.
''With a little luck and hard work, anything can happen,'' Janet Peare said. ''You just have to love and embrace the experience. You have to live in the moment because it is a celebration of accomplishments. Whatever happens that day happens, but you become part of an elite group when you qualify for state. That's why it's a celebration not only for the athletes, but for their family, their friends, their school and the entire community.''
David Lee Morgan Jr. can be reachedat dlmorgan@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Varsity Letters high school sports blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/varsity_letters/.
Comments
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Canton, OH
Posted 09:53 PM, 05/27/2009
Props to Allison. .
