On Wednesday, June 1, 2016, Central Bucks South seniors Elizabeth Bird and Jasmine Noble were recognized for committing to continue their track careers at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/g/060116_signings_-_mjs
“Both of them have been with the team three to four years,” coach Jason Gable said. “They’ve been very dedicated over the years. Track and cross country - especially with Elizabeth - are very different kinds of sports where it takes almost a yearlong continuation from the team. Goals become more long-term goals versus just a singular season goals. Goals include focusing on the postseason rather than each individual competition.
“Both ladies did a great job with setting their goals and setting their priorities over the course of the years and over the course of the season, which got them to this point With all the people that do athletics in high school, there’s a small percentage that go on and continue in college and especially continue in college at a very successful level, so they were able to take the lessons learned, the teaching of the training and the actual physicality of the training itself and find a love within the sport and find growth within the sport that they want to continue another four years at the college level and really challenge themselves.”
Elizabeth Bird – West Chester University (Cross Country/Track)
Major: Secondary Education/Special Ed
Final list of colleges: West Chester, St. Joseph’s, East Stroudsburg
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “I really liked the campus, and I liked the coaching staff for the team. They also have a really good education program.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in cross country and track at the collegiate level? “I had the mindset, and I finally decided this year that I wanted to continue running.”
Coach Jason Gable says: “Elizabeth is very much a leader. She has a good head on her shoulders with understanding the training and what the intention of it is at the end. She has very good long term focus with it. As a distance runner who continues through summer training, fall cross country season, winter indoor, spring outdoor, there are a lot of different variables in there. In my opinion, being a distance runner takes the most patience out of all of the different types of athletics involved in track and field because it’s a slow growth. You have to be very patient with it, you have to always look out for the long term goals and what you want to get at the end of it. Elizabeth modeled this perfectly over the years and even was a good example to underclassmen because the underclassmen girls would gravitate to her. She just had that quality, and she was able to teach them very effectively how to learn from the program, how to take ownership of the program and really achieve your goals in the end.”
Coach Lauren McNelis says: “The thing that stands out to me the most is her dedication. She would do every run that you asked her to do without hesitation, without question and always asked what she could do to get better. She really worked on a lot of things outside of the daily practices that she knew would make her a better runner and that she knew would make her a better athlete in general.”
About Elizabeth:
Favorite food: Watermelon
Favorite movie: The Outsiders
Favorite music: Country
Jasmine Noble – West Chester University (Track)
Major: Biology
Final list of colleges: West Chester, Pitt, Villanova, East Stroudsburg, St. Joseph’s
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “I liked their track team and their education system.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in track at the collegiate level? “It was last minute. I wasn’t going to (compete in college), but I started doing well, and I also want to stay in shape.”
Coach Jason Gable says: “Jasmine was our main sprinter throughout the years. She has had a phenomenal career. She ended her senior year as a three-time state medalist this year in the relays on the 4x100 and 4x400 and in the individual 100. She’s seen her own growth within the sport jump tremendously in the past two years. Her initial years were learning the basics and the reasons as to why doing a lot of the drills would really affect the long-term goal. At the end of her spring season last year and into the winter season, she definitely found her own niche in the short sprints. Jasmine exploded – she’s top 10 in the state in the 100, top 10 in the state in the 200. The 4x100 relay she was part of is third in the state, and the 4x4 is seventh in the state, so she’s ending her high school career on a spectacular note as a three-time state medalist in just spring alone.
“She medaled in indoor, and she medaled last year. Her times are some of the best in the area, and really, within the past several weeks, we realized she had a plethora of colleges she could choose from and run at. West Chester is extremely fortunate to get an athlete of her caliber on that team. I’m very proud of both of them, and I’m extremely proud of Jasmine with what she’s been able to do. I’ve helped her every step of the way being the sprint coach, and she’s just taken it all on her own. I know she’s going to be phenomenal in college. She’s only now starting to realize her full potential. As she grows and matures in the sport over the next four years, she’s going to be even better down the line. From a coaching perspective, Jasmine is going to be a hard one to replace because she’s one of the top sprinters in the state that we’re losing. She was a great example to the underclassmen.”
About Jasmine:
Favorite food: Cheese
Favorite movie: Pursuit of Happiness
Favorite food: Beyonce
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