Two Sports At Once 10/20/2011

MCARTOR

Posted By: Mistina Christner (email)
Date: 7/6/2018 at 08:21:04

Source: The Kalona News 10/20/2011

Tow sports at once: Mallory McArtor on varsity volleyball & Cross Country
By Tim Groff

Traveling between North Linn and Durant, or Wellman and Tipton might seem like a long commute, but for junior Mallory McArtor, it's the price of playing in two sports.
Mallory McArtor is a valuable starter on Mid-Prairie varsity volleyball team and runs second on the Cross Country squad too, often both on the same night.
"The biggest thing for us is the times we have a meet with both sports on the same night," said Dad, Tracy McArtor. "Not that it's a hassle, it's just a matter of time management and making sure you've got everything that you need to get her from one place to another."
I guess it's not a hassle for a Dad who's watched his daughter compete in two sports every fall since she was in seventh grade.
Mallory said she ran Cross Country in sixth grade when volleyball wasn't an option.
"I wasn't sure I wanted to do that," said McArtor. "But in seventh grade we could do more, so I wanted to do volleyball but then I didn't want to give up running."
"We talked to both coaches to see if I could try doing both at the same time and it worked out."
Sometimes McArtor would miss a practice but then she'd make it up the next week, or on her own time.
"I might have had to go to certain practices on certain days - and switch the next week, but it worked out enough that no games or meets lost to the other. So I made almost everything work," said Mallory.
It worked out in seventh grade, and McArtor has been doing it ever since.
"She never gets worn out. She likes to be active and do things," commented her Mom, Marge McArtor. "I think its' cool that she has the ability to do both. But she works hard. When she can't make it to both practices it's usually the running that she has to do alone. And you don't have to tell her to do it. She has that internal drive, 'This is what I want to do,' and she does it."
"It's great she has that support too."
McArtor's parents said they were concerned about what her coaches would think about having an athlete who competed in more than one sport.
"I'm thankful that I have two coaches who let me either miss a practice, or some of practice to go to another sport," admitted Mallory. "You want to be there at both practices and sometimes you can only be at one or at half the time. That's a big challenge. You're always wanting to be with the team, but sometimes when you have to be with the volleyball team you have to just run on your own, and that's not always as much fun."
Mallory said a highlight from this season was when her volleyball team came down to the Golf Course in Wellman together to see her run in a Cross Country race: she ran her best time of the season that night, 16:42.

Laundry, Food & Communication:
Some of the ordinary challenges for families with teens are compounded when they're competing in multiple sports at a time.
"The laundry, making the food, the communication, knowing the homework," said Marge McArtor. "Usually at night she'll do homework and eat. And she uses her seminar time - instead of talking to friends, doing her homework."
Her regular foods: Chocolate Milk, Ramen Noodles and turkey club sandwiches.
Dad says if she wasn't running (in two different sports) all the time, Mallory would be bored.
"The more down-time she has the worse it is," said Tracey. "She's always been one of those kids who is either on or off, and she doesn't have an in-between. I think if she's got the capability of doing multiple things she's going to take that challenge and do it."

Setting Goals:
Mallory doesn't just play volleyball and run on the Cross Country team: varsity basketball, softball and Track are all part of her routine. She says goals for each are pretty basic.
"All my goals are to always improve and to keep moving forward," said McArtor. "It's the same for every sport - defense or shooting in basketball, practicing whatever is harder on track or getting your time down for the 800, in softball it's always being on your toes to be quick and ready for the ball whenever it comes."
This week, McArtor has some unique goals: getting beyond the first-round of the playoffs at volleyball districts on Tuesday evening, and qualifying for the State Meet in Cross Country on Thursday.
"And if I don't make it - that's another goal for next year - keep pushing and working to make that goal happen," said Mallory.
"She's never satisfied and she's always wanted to get better," said Tracey. "She doesn't want to settle for being mediocre."
Tracy said his daughter is enjoying her active life. "If there comes a time that she's not happy and enjoying it then it's time to quit."
Mallory's been enjoying her Cross Country season and has a legitimate chance to run at the 2A State Cross Country meet later this month. She's a legitimate varsity contributor: third on her team in kills, second in digs, and first in serving aces for the M-P volleyball team.
"I'm thankful that I have that ability and that I have the energy to do both and be successful in both," said Mallory.