THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994 TAG: 9406010623
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940601 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH
In her second, she beat the defending district champion.
{REST} In her eighth, Saturday at Hampton's Darling Stadium, Parker did what it takes many runners years to do - she won an Eastern Region title.
Seldom, if ever, has a local runner accomplished so much, so quickly. Just a few months ago, Parker had never heard of the 1,600 meters, let alone run it.
``I knew about how many laps it was,'' she said. ``But I really didn't know that much about track.''
She does now. And the local track community is getting to know her, too.
On Saturday Parker, a 14-year-old freshman, outkicked the field to win the 1,600 in an area-best time of 5:12.1, a performance that earned her the Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star's athlete of the week honors.
Parker's time was the best by a Kempsville runner since Kendall Tata ran for the Chiefs in the late 1970s.
And coincidentally, it was Tata, the current Kempsville coach, who discovered Parker last summer at a field hockey conditioning camp.
``She was leading the pack,'' Tata said. ``We would do timed laps, and she had the kind of strength, stamina and speed I had not seen in anyone in years.''
Parker had never run competitively, although she played field hockey and softball. So she was surprised when Tata asked her to come out for track.
Parker joined the team for the spring season, and split time between track and softball. She'd finish one practice and head for another.
``From her workouts, I figured she could run a 5:40,'' Tata said. ``So we set that goal for the first race.''
Parker ran 5:30, and has been trimming seconds ever since.
``She has a lot of natural ability,'' Tata said. ``But the thing that makes her so good is that she has more heart and courage than anyone I've ever coached. Every time Adrienne races, she gives it everything she has.''
If Parker continues to improve, she could threaten Tata's school 1,600-meter record of 4:57, set in 1979.
That's fine by Tata, who says her record has been posted in the Kempsville gym long enough.
``If my record is going to be broken, she's the one I want to break it,'' Tata said. by CNB