Malaika Sparks Athletic Profile

1. Cross Country & Track

2. My love for running began my sophomore year at
Phillipsburg High School.
That was when I decided to join my school’s Track & Field
team. I really wanted to be a sprinter, but the 100m and
200m races were not for me. So I tried the 400m race and
really enjoyed it. That became my primary event where I
ran my career best of 1:03. That same year I received my
first varsity letter for track.

3.  The distance coach for my track team saw my potential to run longer,
and wanted me to stay in shape during my off season, so he encouraged
me to join the cross country team.
 I gave it a try fall of my junior year.
 A couple weeks in, I really saw how much natural talent I had for
distance running. My season best time that year was at the NJSIAA
Sectionals race where I ran 20:46.
 I also received a varsity letter in cross country.

5.  During my junior year of spring track I decided to run the 800m.
 I began to like it more than the 400m.
 It became my primary event.
 The first half of the season was great, I was placing in many meets.
 My high school has a huge 100+ year old rivalry with Easton High School, so
the annual meet in May was an important meet.
 I ran my season best of 2:32.
 I got a season ending hip injury after Easton race. I was very upset
considering it was the middle/end of the season.
 My coaches had me doing workouts on a stationary bike, and running a
mile every day as I recovered and prepared for cross country pre-season.

6. c

7.  This past cross country season has been my most successful. I became a
captain which was great to gain some more leadership skills.
 My teams first dual meet was against a high ranking team named Ridge
on a very hot day on September 11th. We beat them because of a pack
of 7 girls that I overtook in the last 400 meters. I was 6th out of 75. My
time was 21:54.
 My first PR of the season was on September 17th, 2013 with a time of
20:42. I PRed in almost every single meet after that.
 I broke 20 minutes on October 2nd with a time of 19:45. The following
Wednesday was the big Easton vs. P’burg meet. With all the adrenaline
and desire to want to beat Easton, I ran a season best of 19:07, coming
in second place behind my teammate who ran 19:02 (course 1st & 2nd
record times).
 Unfortunately we didn’t beat them, even with our strong 1-2 finish.

8. Championships & Invitationals:.
 The first meet of the season was the Under the Lights Invitational in
Randolph. I was 33 out of 85 with a time of 21:15.
 The next one was the Bernie Magee Class Meet in Warinanco Park which
is a 3.25 mile course. I placed 10th out of 133, receiving a medal for the
Senior Girls race. My time was 21:09.
 September 28th was my next invitational which was at Six Flags Great
Adventure. It was the Safari Run Invitational where I placed 45th out of
169 on a sandy course. My time was 20:47.
 On October 5th I ran on one of the hardest courses in the state of NJ in
Holmdel. It is known as the “bowl” because of the deep decline, and long
steep incline. I placed 21st out of 149 and ran 21:04.
 The Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Championship meet was held on
October 18th where I placed 16th out of 123 and ran 20:07.
 The next championship was the Skyland Conference Championship meet
where I placed 25th with a time of 20:07.

9. My last race of the season was the NJSIAA Sectionals meet
on November 9th. My team placed sixth in our section,
missing the chance to qualify for States by 16 points. The
meet was held at Warinanco Park, which is the slightly longer
course that is 3.25 miles. My time improved significantly
from my 21:09 performance at the September 21st Bernie
Magee Class meet. My time was 20:13, and I placed 17th out
of 103. It was a bittersweet high school career ending meet.

10. September 11th 2013: Ridge & Watchung Hills Dual Meet

12. September 21st, 2013 Bernie Magee Class Meet

13. September 25, 2013 North Hunterdon & Franklin Dual
Meet

14. September 28th,2013 Six Flags Invitational

15. Family
One sister missing from
picture.
BROKE 20
MINUTES

17. EASTON
PR!
19:07

18. Front Page!

19. October 17th Hunterdon Warren Sussex (HWS) Championship

20. Skyland Conference

21. NJSIAA Sectionals

22. Extras

24. Banquet
SENIORS 

25. Volunteering
BGR – Co-lead local weekly group runs and
hosted a stretching clinic.
LVRR – Volunteered to support local road
races.
XC TEAM -- Team hosted 1st Annual Run for
Hope Color Run on our home course.

26. Future Plans
I plan on running winter track
and spring track this year, and
going to move up to the mile
run.

27. I have had so much
success in my running
career thus far, and I
really want to continue
on the collegiate level!
Thanks for taking the
time to watch!
~ Malaika Sparks