PVHS Track Star Takes it to Next Level

Senior Anna Terrell announced the exciting news that she had committed to the University of Washington for track and field this past October. 

This amazing accomplishment was the result of Terrell’s dedication and her aspiration to run at the next level.

Terrell had her sights set on running in college shortly after she began running.

 “I knew that I wanted to run in college in 7th grade after running for a year,” Terrell said

The University of Washington is part of the PAC-12 conference, which includes many very competitive Division I schools, and has one of the top track and field programs in the country. 

Aside from being one of the top programs in the country, many other factors also contributed to Terrell’s decision to choose the University of Washington.

“I chose UW because I think it’s going to give me the best opportunity to thrive as a whole person,” Terrell said. 

“The coaching staff is amazing and I’m really excited with the way that they want to coach and develop me. The program is going in an extremely positive direction and I wanted to be a part of that. I also fell in love with the campus and how much there is to do in the area.”

Achieving her current level of success has been no easy feat. A lot of work has gone into Terrell’s success. 

“I practice every day for about 1-2 hours depending on how long the run is and I also go to the gym and lift about 3-4 times a week,” Terrell said.

Terrell’s teammate, senior Greta Norris, has loved being on her team.

“It’s been amazing running with her,” Norris said. “She’s a key part of our team because she’s super fast and because she’s always super supportive. Anna shows that she cares a lot about the sport and the individuals on our team.”

“She’s a great teammate and friend. During practice, you can always have a good laugh with her or have a serious conversation.”

Terrell’s coach, Brian Shapiro, who has been coaching her since her freshman year and has gotten to know her as both an athlete and a person, has nothing but great things to say about her.

“As an athlete, Anna is probably the most athletic kid on campus,” Shapiro said. 

“She would be a MVP caliber player in any sport. She’s tall so she’d be great at basketball and volleyball, she’s fast and she’s strong. She’s one of the top kids in CIF at the short distance sprints and at the long races so what a great athlete. In addition, she’s an amazing student, off the charts good at everything and then she’s a great kid. The other day we had a playoff water polo game and I was here watching with my children who obviously have been around Anna a lot and my four year old ran and sat next to her in the bleachers and she hung out and took care of him during the game while she was hanging out with her friends. She’s got it together and is excelling in all aspects.”

Shapiro has also enjoyed watching Terrell’s progress throughout the years. 

“It’s always a lot of fun when you have an athlete that grows and develops and ultimately achieves at a high level,” Shapiro said. 

“It’s also great to see somebody who has persevered through a really challenging two years [with the pandemic] and still navigated the athletic journey.”

Terrell is excited about what’s to come in the future and is looking forward to running at the University of Washington.

“What I’m looking forward to most about running in college is the competition and team camaraderie,” Terrell said. “Being in a competitive environment with teammates who all have the same common goal is something that is really appealing to me and is a great aspect of being a college athlete.”