The 5 foot-tall freshman sprinter Elisabeth Plympton is making her return to Plattsburgh a memorable experience.
Throughout her youth, Plympton only played softball until she reached her sophomore year when she decided to try out for the track team.
“I thought it would be a good way to stay in shape for softball and I like trying new things,” Plympton said. “I actually ended up being good at it and I liked it so I stuck with it.”
Looking back on her high school career, Plympton appreciates her previous coaching staff.
“My old coach is one of the main reasons why I love to run,” Plympton said. “He was just always motivating and supporting us in anything that we did and I thought that was something special.”
Prior to coming to PSUC, Plympton attended Stone Hill College which is located in Massachusetts.
“I went to Stone Hill mainly because I received a scholarship to run there,” Plympton said. “Something about the people on the team made me feel like I didn’t fit in and it made me uncomfortable.”
The original plan for coming into PSUC has changed since Plympton has experienced being a Cardinal.
“Wanting to leave Stone Hill, I thought going home and attending SUNY Plattsburgh was the easiest thing for me to do,” Plympton said. “Originally I thought I was going to use Plattsburgh as a transition school and look elsewhere to finish out my college career. Since I’ve been here though everything has fallen into place and I cannot see myself leaving.”
After experiencing another track team, Plympton is more than happy she made the transfer to becoming a Cardinal.
“The coaches at Stone Hill were so focused on conditioning and running us until we almost puked,” Plympton said. “These coaches here focus on more event specific training which I like because it is much more beneficial than just conditioning.”
Although Plympton is young, head coach Nick Jones admires her ability to learn.
“Elisabeth is still in the transition between high school and college track so she is learning a lot,” Jones said. “One of our main focuses for Elisabeth is her technique which I am looking forward to seeing develop because with the power she has she could be a great sprinter for us down the road.”
Plympton’s favorite part about being a track star is the work that needs to be put in to succeed.
“I like running track because the results you get are directly related to the amount of work you put in,” Plympton said. “This isn’t really a team sport so a lot of it is an individual effort which I have learned to appreciate.”
The teammates at PSUC are a big reason why Plympton loves being here.
“At Stone Hill I wasn’t really similar to any of my teammates, maybe because I was from out of state,” Plympton said. “Immediately arriving to Plattsburgh I could see that I was much more similar to my team. It was much more a family vibe which makes them fun people to be around.”
As much time she spends on the track, Plympton till enjoys her downtime.
“When I’m not training or running the track I love to be outside,” Plympton said. “One of my favorite things to do is go fishing with my dad on Lake Champlain.”
Balancing being a student-athlete has not been a tough road for Plympton.
“I actually don’t have any trouble balancing academics and athletics,” Plympton said. “On our long bus rides I get all my work done because there really isn’t anything else to do and there isn’t any distractions.”
Plympton lives her athletic career by always believing in herself.
“Anything is possible,” Plympton said. “If you can see yourself doing, it can be done.”
Email Kyle Espejo at sports@cardinalpointsonline.com
