Name: Tina Capparell
High school: Marian
Grade: Freshman
Age: 14
Hometown: Hazleton
Family: Parents, Connie and Jack Capparell; sister, Nicole
Sport: Girls’ cross country
Accomplishments: Clocked a 19:29 on Oct. 16 to capture the girls’ gold medal at the Schuylkill League Cross Country Championships at Tuscarora State Park. During the regular season, Capparell won every dual/tri-meet the Fillies competed, finishing second at the DeSales Centaur Invitational and third at Bloomsburg’s NEPA Invitational.
Athletes I admire: None
Favorite sports teams: None, though she likes to watch NBA games
What age did you start running cross country: 6 (as part of participating in youth triathlons)
Do you play any other sports?: Basketball
Talk about winning your first Schuylkill League championship: “It’s really exciting. I love it, just knowing that you accomplished that, and the race is over and you did your best.”
What do you like most about cross country?: “Just the feeling of it, like running through the finish line you get really happy. I just love it.”
Is there anything you don’t like about the sport?: “Not really. No.”
Individual goals for this season: “My goal is to break 19 (minutes) and run somewhere in the 18s, hopefully.”
And getting to states?: “That’s a goal.”
Though you’re a freshman, do you have any long-range goals for college or as a career?: “I want to run in college, and I’m undecided in my career yet.”
Past winners
• Sept. 2 — Rileigh Evitts, Schuylkill Haven, girls’ soccer
• Sept. 9 — Johnathan Condly, Jim Thorpe, cross country
• Sept. 16 — Aubrey Abel, Blue Mountain, girls’ tennis
• Sept. 23 — Meg Schwalm, Minersville, girls’ volleyball
• Sept. 30 — Rachel Brahler, Pottsville, girls’ golf
• Oct. 7 — Fritz Miller, Blue Mountain, boys’ soccer
• Oct. 14 — Emily Pilla, Marian, girls’ volleyball