Each week during the school year the Naples Daily News selects athletes that stood out the week before based on a combination of coach reports and school nominations sent to sports@naplesnews.com and our coverage. Those athletes are put in a poll each Monday on naplesnews.com and you, our readers, vote on who you think did it best. The winners of the Naples Daily News Athlete of the Week poll sponsored by Elevate Home Services receive a T-shirt provided by BSN Sports and a tote bag provided by USA Today High School Sports Awards. To get to know our winners better, the Naples Daily News will have a question-and-answer session with each athlete weekly.
The Naples Daily News Athlete of the Week sponsored by Elevate Home Services for Feb. 24-March 1 was First Baptist track and field athlete Aniston Newman. To be nominated, Newman secured a new school record in the long jump, posting a mark of 5.64 meters at the CSN Invitational.
Question: How early did you get into track and field? What drew you to the sport?
Newman: I first got into track and field in elementary school when I ran in the Gulf Coast Runners Run For Fun meets. But it wasn’t until middle school that I started taking it seriously. I used to win the 50-meter dash in my PE class at Pelican Marsh a lot. So, my mom, who is really into track and field herself, thought signing me up for the fun runs would be a good way to introduce me to the sport. Once I started competing and saw what I could do, I fell in love with track and field too.
What’s been a highlight of your track and field career thus far?
Newman: One of the biggest highlights of my track and field career was winning a medal at the high school state meet as an eighth grader. I wasn’t seeded in the top eight in the 100m hurdles, so I had to run in the slower heat. My goal was to make it on the podium, but to do that I needed to win my heat and with a better time than at least two girls in the fast heat. So, I said a little prayer asking for God’s guidance and just gave it everything I had in me. I ended up running a PR and winning my heat. After the fast heat, we waited and watched as they posted the eight best finishes from the two heats up on the screen. And one of them was mine. There was a lot of jumping up and down and hugging and screaming. My whole family was in tears. It was a really special moment that I’ll never forget.
Do you have any sort of a routine before a meet?
Newman: Before a meet, I like to watch videos of my past jumps and races to remind myself of the things that I want to improve on. I always make sure to wear my lucky orange Lululemon socks too. Mentally, I go over all the goals that I set for that meet and tell myself that I’m going to reach them. Just after warm-up, before each event, I say a prayer thanking the Lord for the opportunity to be able to compete, and I ask that he allow me to perform to the best of my ability and to protect me from injury.
Is there a track and field athlete from the U.S. you look up to or enjoy watching?
Newman: Anna Hall. All day long. She is an amazing athlete and person. Watching her come back after knee surgery to win the heptathlon at US trials and compete in the Olympics was so inspiring. I have faced my share of injuries, and I understand the mental toughness, hard work, and dedication that it takes to get back to competing again. But to do it at her level is another story. She is awesome. I was blessed to meet her recently — she’s super sweet and humble, and just talking to her made me admire her even more.
If you weren’t in track and field or volleyball, what sport would you play and why?
Newman: That’s easy, All-Star Cheer. I started cheering when I was 5. I fell in love with it, and it was pretty much my life for 8 straight years. My parents used to drive me to Miami to train with my team at Top Gun three to four times a week, and it was hard because I didn’t have an any time to do anything else but school. I wanted to devote more time to track and my new love, volleyball, but it wasn’t possible for me to grow in any other sports as long as I was cheering. Retiring from cheer wasn’t easy — I miss the bonds that I made with my teammates and coaches — but I don’t regret my decision. I think every experience in life prepares us for the next. The discipline, teamwork, and resilience that I learned in cheer helped shape me into the strong athlete that I am today.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
