A Velma-Alma High School track and cross country runner will dash toward higher eduction at Mid-America Christian University this fall.
Jessie Foster-Anderson signed her letter of intent Monday, March 24 to run track and cross country at MACU. She signed alongside her sister, Mallory.
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During the signing, she was surrounded by family, friends, coaches and administration at Velma-Alma High School.
Foster-Anderson will major in ministry and will look to work somewhere in the music industry. She said she looks forward to the college experience and going away to school, but being close enough to home to visit.
“I’m also just looking forward to building a career and seeing how well I can excel on a collegiate level as an athlete,” she said.
Foster-Anderson said she’s ran track and cross country since the fifth grade.
“I went on the first day and ran a mile for the first time and thought I was going quit because it was awful the first time,” she said.
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But she kept going and eventually fell in love with the sport.
“I just got really good at it and I really put in the work and the miles,” she said.
Since then, she’s made All-State twice during high school.
In track, Foster-Anderson runs the two-mile relay and the open two-mile. During her sophomore year, she ran the two-mile relay, two-mile run, mile run and the mile relay.
Her best times for the two-mile relay clocked at 2:32. She said when she did the mile, it was 5:50.
For her two-mile, she clocked between 12:30-12:40.
For cross county, Foster-Anderson said her best time was during her sophomore year when she ran a 12:18 at Cameron University.
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“This year is was like a 12:40 and I was at state,” she said.
Aside from track and cross country, Foster-Anderson is involved BETA, NHS, cheer and the Miss Velma-Alma pageant.
Dana Lohrer, head girls cross country coach, said she has coached Foster-Anderson twins since their sophomore year. She said Jessie’s got a competitive spirit.
“She likes being up front, she works hard in the workouts and always competes well,” Lohrer said. “It was a lot of fun being able to help her just see her potential and everything and she All-Stated her sophomore and her senior year.”
Lohrer said the team was runner-up for those years as well.
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Lohrer said both girls are a joy and a delight to be around.
“I’m thankful my daughter’s one of their best friends,” the coach said. “So my life is always going to be blessed with them and everything because of that.”
Jake McGuire, track coach, said both of the twins are different, but the same. He said Jessie’s more aggressive and Mallory’s more reserved.
McGuire said they are great players to coach. He said he’s coached the girls throughout high school.
“If they can go up to college, get a good education, further their career in that way, that’s what it’s all about,” he said.
Jessie said she hopes to become a worship pastor on some level. She said she wants to get the opportunity to motivate others and become someone others can look up to.
Mallory’s signing story will appear in future editions of The Duncan Banner.
