STANWOOD — Some coaches constantly nag athletes to work harder. Jordan Sneva never has that problem with Minna Fields.
In fact, Sneva, Stanwood High School’s head cross country coach, often asks Fields to take it easy. A talented runner beginning her senior season with the Spartans, Fields hates slowing down.
“She just goes all out,” Sneva said. “Sometimes that’s her biggest fault. She needs to let her body rest periodically.”
Fields, whose first name is pronounced ME-nuh, knows she should relax from time to time. But the ultra-determined senior has difficulty easing off the accelerator.
“I’m just really self-motivated and I’m really stubborn,” she said. “I just like pushing myself hard.”
Based on the results, it’s tough to argue with Fields’ approach. Last year Fields finished second in the Class 4A state cross country meet, completing the 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes, 17 seconds and the only runner who placed ahead of Fields at state last year, Garfield’s Anna Dailey, graduated.
Natasha Verma, now running at the University of Portland, ran cross country with Fields the past two years at Stanwood, when the Spartans won fourth- and third-place team trophies at the state meet.
“Every practice, no matter what, she’ll go out hard,” said Verma, a 2010 Stanwood High graduate.
Asked to describe Fields’ work ethic, Verma recalled an eye-opening performance from Fields’ sophomore track season.
A day before Fields was scheduled to run the grueling 3,200-meter (2-mile) race at the district championships, everyone expected her to do a relaxed workout and conserve energy. Instead, Fields shocked her coach and teammates by running 3 miles in about 19:30, a punishing pace the day before a big race.
Verma’s reaction: “What are you doing?”
But Fields’ unconventional approach worked. The next day Fields ran a personal-record time in the 3,200, finished second and qualified for state.
Fields logged tons of mileage this summer. She started at 25 miles per week in June and is at about 45 miles per week now, which she will maintain most of the fall with the exception of a few strategic fluctuations.
“I know I definitely run more miles than most high school runners,” she said, “but I just find that it works for me.”
Fields has big aspirations. After placing second in 2009, she wants to win the 4A state cross country title this fall.
“That’s ultimately the goal. I’m just trying to stay headstrong,” Fields said.
Coming off what she called a “disappointing” track season — at state, Fields placed sixth in the 3,200 and did not crack the top eight in the 1,600 — Fields wants to “show everyone that I’m just as good as the other girls out there and I can compete with them still.”
The only girl who beat Fields in the 2009 4A state cross country race, Garfield’s Anna Dailey, graduated. The other top returners, based on last year’s results, are Skyview senior Priscilla Timmons (fourth place) and Mead senior Baylee Mires (fifth).
Last year Dailey’s kick in the final 800 meters was the difference. Endurance — not a powerful finishing burst — has always been Fields’ strength, but she is working on the latter skill. She also improved her form, focusing on keeping her shoulders back, bending her knees and staying on her toes.
Team success is important to Fields, who wants to help Stanwood win another top-four state team trophy — maybe even the championship. The Spartans are ranked No. 1 in 4A in the preseason state coaches’ poll.
Besides Fields, Stanwood brings back four girls who ran at state last year: sophomore Jordin Stephenson (25th place in 2009), junior Jade Borseth (63rd), senior Maddi Davis (103rd) and sophomore Megan Wyles (138th). Going into the season, the team’s top five runners were Fields, Borseth, Stephenson, Davis and Natalie Bergstrom, said coach Sneva.
Fields plans to run in college. She received her first full-ride scholarship offer, from Lipscomb University (Nashville, Tenn.), in July and hopes to attract more offers.
It’s been an interesting road for Fields, who grew up playing soccer and basketball and didn’t try cross country until fall of her sophomore year. The previous spring then-Stanwood track coach Paul Johnson watched Fields — then an aspiring freshman hurdler — attack hurdle drills at track practice with intensity and determination.
Johnson’s wise observation changed everything for Fields. According to Fields, coach Johnson said: “Minna, you know what? Most people would have got tired by now. You haven’t. We’re going to make you a distance runner.”
Hundreds of miles later, Fields is making her former coach look like a genius.
Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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