- Alex Cameron
- Junior, Dunwoody High School
Whether she’s competing in cross-country races, playing an instrument or swimming, Alex Cameron finds running toward her goals comes naturally.
Alex always stays active.
Last fall, the Dunwoody High girls’ cross-country team qualified for the state tournament along with 31 other teams. DeKalb County hasn’t had a girls’ cross-country team win the state title in 30 years. That’s right. The last one was in 1982.
The girls’ team won the state title. Alex brought home the individual 5-AAAAA state championship with a time of 19:49:96. She bested about 200 runners. One mile into the race, she had a clear lead.
Dunwoody girls’ cross-country coach Brian Boucher wasn’t surprised by Alex’s victory. He saw the dedication to success she displayed throughout the season.
“She took on a greater leadership role this year,” Boucher said. “Her desire to have the whole team be successful truly made a difference.”
It takes time and hard work to excel at any sport. She’s been swimming competitively, mostly on summer league teams, since age 6. Alex discovered her passion for running when she joined a club in the sixth grade at Peachtree Middle School. “I really liked it, and it just went from there.”
Whether playing a sport or studying, it’s important to have a support system. And what better encouragement is there for a runner than having a mom who ran track in high school and a dad who runs marathons? “I also run with a separate group year-round to stay active,” Alex said.
Alex proves that dedication goes a long way in achieving goals. “Alex uses her talent and builds on it through hard work,” Boucher said.
Along with her passion for running, Alex participates in the band at Dunwoody High. She has been playing trumpet since the sixth grade.
Alex’s running hasn’t stopped at cross country. This spring, she’s on the track team. She runs 1600-meter and 3200-meter events.
She does a lot, but she’s careful not to overdo it. “Quality is always better than quantity,” Alex said. “It’s always better to work a little each day than a whole lot crammed in just twice a week.”
What’s Next:
Alex will be a senior next year and plans on joining the Dunwoody High School swim team as well as continuing to compete in cross country and track. Alex hopes to take her talents to college – she’s not sure where yet — and to continue running competitively. “Running is a healthy life choice,” she said.
This article was reported and written by Erin Pirkle, who is a senior at Dunwoody High School.