Memorial's Terry picks shot at gold over graduation

McALLEN - Decisions, decisions, decisions.

McAllen Memorial's Tricia Terry has no problem pulling the trigger on some pretty big ones.

And in the last few weeks, Terry's been forced to make certain decisions that many people her age would rather not think about.

It all started when the swine flu scare hit the Valley in late April.

After a few reported cases in South Texas, the UIL cancelled then rescheduled all regional track and field meets across the state.

As a result, the UIL State Track and Field Championships was pushed back three weeks from its original date to June 5-6. The same day that Terry was to graduate from McAllen Memorial High School.

"I was mad at first but I waited to see what happened at regionals." Terry said.

And what happened was kind of frustrating for the very competitive Terry.

Terry failed to qualify for the state meet in the 3,200-meter run. And struggled to a second-place finish in the 1,600-meter run with a 5:12.

It wasn't her best effort in four trips to the regional meet and even a stress reaction in her left shinbone wasn't an excuse.

Although it was an issue all season, which only added to the "drama" of the 2009 season.

This season, Terry endured the injury to her left shinbone, the cancellation and rescheduling of the regional meet and the date change of the state meet.

On top of that, she had to choose between attending her own graduation or running the mile at state.

Not an easy decision for any student. But Terry is also the Valedictorian for McAllen Memorial adding to the stresses of making a decision.

"Regionals was probably the worst meet of my life," said Terry, who enters the state meet with the worst time (5:12). "I barely qualified in the 1600. After regionals I thought about it and I didn't want to look back and think of regionals as my last meet."

So on Saturday June 6, Terry will run instead of walk at the McAllen Convention Center with the rest of her classmates.

She will, however, record her valedictorian speech and it will be aired at the graduation ceremony.

She'll also walk in a makeshift commencement ceremony held at Mike Myers Stadium on Friday evening in Austin for any athlete that missed their ceremony back home.

So after she receives her diploma on Friday and most of the "craziness" that has taken over her life in the past month comes to an end, Terry can finally concentrate on the 1,600-meter run.

Her final race as a high school runner.

"It's definitely pretty emotional," Terry said. "I'm missing graduation for this so I really, really, really need to give it my all. I need to run my best race ever."

Terry's been there before.

As a freshman, she came in sixth in the 3200. As a sophomore, Terry won silver in the mile and was fourth in the two mile.

Last year, Terry won another silver in the 1600 and was fifth in the 3200.

So with everything Terry has endured this season - mentally, physically, and emotionally - it seems a gold medal is the only to go out.

It's definitely Tricia Terry Time come Saturday at 7 p.m

Eladio Jaimez covers track and field for Valley Freedom Newspapers.