TRACK & FIELD
Favorite athlete: Brigetta Barrett
Favorite team: Flyers
Favorite memory competing in sports: My favorite memory competing in sports is when I qualified for States for indoor this past season. This is my favorite moment because it was my last regular meet of the indoor season, and I worked hard to try to make it, and when I finally did, I couldn’t believe it. The best part was looking over at my coach and watching her freak out with excitement that I final made it to States!
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: The most embarrassing moments that have happened to me are always when I completely just smash into the bar. I can remember on multiple occasions when I’ve had just some completely weird incidents when I jump, and it’s really embarrassing at that moment in time because everyone is watching you. After the fact, it’s pretty funny to see what I looked like when it happened but certainly not while I am in mid competition.
Music on your iPod: I have a whole bunch of different stuff. I like variety in music.
Future plans: I would like to graduate college, find a good career, and have a family.
Favorite motto/words to live by: One of my favorite mottos to live by comes from my dad because he always says this to me, “Mind over matter.” One of my main struggles is letting things get to my head a lot, so when I begin to feel overwhelmed, I just think to myself “mind over matter,” and whatever I think is what I will do.
One goal before turning 30: I will start, if not already have, a successful career.
One thing people don’t know about me: I really like photography and to take black and white pictures with 35mm film cameras.
By Mary Jane Souder
Lisa Patterson wasn’t sold on the idea of becoming a high jumper when she joined the Neshaminy track team as a freshman.
As a matter of fact, it was a hard sell for coach Margie Stefan to convince her she could excel.
“As a freshman, I did long and triple jump because that’s what I did in middle school,” Patterson said. “When I tried high jump, I wasn’t really good at it.”
Stefan saw something in Patterson that the then freshman didn’t see in herself.
“We have an event week where we have all the girls do different events,” the Redskins’ coach said. “Sometimes there are girls who wouldn’t think they would want to be a thrower but are good at discus.
“During event week, we saw that she was good at high jump, long jump and triple jump, but she wasn’t very interested in high jump. She liked it enough to do it, but she didn’t think she was that good at it.”
As a freshman, Patterson’s top jump was 4-4. This year, she has cleared 5-4 and has 5-6 in her sights. She placed 12th at the indoor state meet this past winter, one inch shy of a Neshaminy school record, and she qualified for Emerging Elite Nationals at the Amory in New York, N.Y.
“I was ecstatic when she told me I qualified for (indoor) states and especially Emerging Elites,” Patterson said. “I literally had no words. I was like ‘What?’ I couldn’t believe it.
“Nationals was probably one of the coolest experiences ever. I had never been there before. There are so many people. There are athletes everywhere, and you know how good they are. You’re just anxious to see everybody perform and see how they do – see their times, their jumps, their throws. I was pumped the whole time. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time.”
Patterson has already qualified for districts this spring and is ranked ninth in Pennsylvania. Quite an accomplishment for someone who didn’t like to high jump.
“At practice, she can get 5-8,” Stefan said. “She’s progressing greatly. She’s always practicing, and she always wants to get better.”
If there’s one thing holding Patterson back, it’s not her ability but rather what she describes as her love-hate relationship with the bar.
“I’ve cleared 5-4 twice, and it’s like, ‘All right, I’ve got this,’” Patterson said. “As soon as it goes to 5-6, I get there and I kind of freeze because it’s really tall.
“When I’m running up to it, I know I can clear it because I do it at practice with a bungee, and I know I can do it, but when you see that bar at your eyes as you’re running by, it’s just daunting because when you land on it, it is not a good feeling. I just kind of get nervous. I have to get over it though.”
Patterson admits she hasn’t had any more than the usual bumps and bruises from the bar.
“I’ve fallen on it plenty of times,” she said. “I’ve hit my back a few times, and you get bruises. It’s really not horrible.
“It’s just something that I have to mentally defeat and be a friend with the bar when it gets to 5-6.”
The mental game has been the toughest part of high jumping for Patterson.
“It’s so frustrating,” she said. “I’m at practice, and I’ll be freaking out – why can’t I do this?
“I’ve only had very few practices with it that high, and hopefully, I can practice with it more, get used to it and then kind of get over that and be proud.”
Whether she can conquer 5-6 or not, Patterson leaves Neshaminy as one of the program’s elite high jumpers, and the senior captain – who also was captain of the indoor team - has been a positive leader for the Redskins.
“As a younger girl, Lisa wasn’t as involved in track, but as she was getting older and better, I could see something in her,” Stefan said. “Last year, she stepped up to the plate more and led the girls.
“We have eight high jumpers, and even just for high jump, let alone the other events, she leads them, she helps them with drills, with warming up, with anything basically that is needed as a captain.”
Quiet by nature, according to her coach, Patterson has opened up as a senior captain.
“Most of the time she would be quiet, but this year, it’s helped her come out of her shell and take charge and be more of a leader,” Stefan said.
With the league and district championships on the horizon, Stefan is looking for good things from her senior captain.
“If she just gets the mental block out, she can clear 5-8,” the ‘Skins coach said.
For Patterson, this year’s postseason will mark the end of the line for her track career since Philadelphia University – where she will enroll this fall – has a track team but no field events. It does, however, have Patterson’s major – fashion merchandising.
“Even as a kid, I’ve always loved fashion and that whole realm,” she said. “In my sophomore year, I was testing out our electives, so I took a fashion management class.
“I was surprised how much I liked the business aspect of it. My aunt is an art director for a company, and I was talking to her about her job and what she does, and I really liked it. Fashion merchandising is the best of both worlds – fashion and business. I think it’s awesome.”
A member of the National Honor Society, Patterson, who takes a course load of honors and AP classes, boasts a GPA of 3.88. She is a member of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) as well as the Foreign Language Club. She is also a member of the Photography Club and admits to developing a passion for what has become a hobby.
“I always have been an artsy type of person,” she said. “I took photography my sophomore year, and I really, really liked it.
“I continued with the advanced classes my junior and senior years. I thought I could draw, but I really can’t, so photography was a better choice for me.”
Away from school, Patterson is an active member of her church youth group, volunteering at the Gift of Life House, a Trenton soup kitchen, the CROP Walk of Bucks County and Operation Santa Claus.
"It's very humbling," Patterson said. "You can see as you're working who you're helping and how appreciative they are. It gives you a good, warm-hearted feeling."
The consummate-student athlete, Patterson will leave behind quite a legacy in track and field, one that even she looks back on with a sense of pride.
“I just remember as a freshman, getting over 4-4 was a miracle,” she said. “Now I’m getting over 5-4. It’s kind of crazy how I’ve progressed.
“I’m proud of what I’ve done. It’s really exciting. I’m looking forward to districts. I’ve jumped with these girls from other schools for four years. We all know each other. It’s kind of cool to see how everybody progresses. It’s kind of your time to shine and show everybody that you can do it. I’m excited.”
