Amber Lust '15 Recruiting Profile

      I am a Track and Field athlete who has the desire and potential to do more with my talent. My goal in life is to receive a partial/full funded education through Track and Field to go to dental school and specialize in pediatric dentistry.

      My interest in track started Freshman year. My original plan was to attend Polytech High School to play soccer in the spring. When the first day of soccer tryouts came along, my friend interested me in track. She encouraged me to come out and try it out, so I did. My dad  previously discussed track with me because he also ran in college and knew that I had natural speed. I decided to disregard the previous sports i have played, including soccer. I wanted to try something new! I went out to the track on the first day of tryouts to talk to the coach. He observed my sprinting, and realized that I had natural speed. He encouraged me to try the hurdles, considering that I was tall and flexible, and able to attack the hurdles. My coach realized that hurdling was the right fit for me, and decided to put me in them as my main event (300m low hurdles and 100m high hurdles), as well as high jump and relays.

      Since freshman year, my times have improved significantly. I have also become a State Champion with no official training. During the end of my junior track season, a former Polytech hurdler came back to my school to assist me in my hurdle training. During the summer of 2014, he helped me decrease my times with speed drills and lifting weights. His main objective was to work with me personally so that it may benefit me in my senior track season.

     During my high school years, I have been able to balance a straight A report card while working hard on the track and in the gym. As a senior this year, I am maintaining straight As at high school as well as taking 3 college courses and training for my upcoming track season in the spring. My goal is to become State Champion this year as well and decrease my times significantly on the track.

      As you may notice, my attitude on the track is not any different than my attitude in the classroom. I am very competitive, and losing to someone, or even myself is my biggest fear. I love track and field mainly because it is an individual sport in which you are only competing with yourself and all of the pressure is on you. I am disciplined, and with my dedication and potential, I am able to overcome difficult obstacles on the track as well as with my grades.

     I plan to go to a college that offers the prerequisites required for dental school. I also plan on running track in college with the assistance of professional training and to maintain a 3.7 GPA or better.  After dental school, I will specialize in pediatric dentistry and in the future, own my own dental practice. I believe that I have the determination to not only be successful on the track, but make an impact on children in my future pediatric practice.