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Skinner's Success Comes Naturally

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By BILL WARD

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 20, 2008

TAMPA - For some, the act of running is a chore. It's visible in each stride they take and reflected in the pain displayed on their face.

And then there's Wharton senior Katrina Skinner. If you've seen her run, it's clear she was meant to do this - like Mikhail Baryshnikov was born for ballet. And like that famous dancer, you could go as far to say that Skinner elevates running to an art form.

"She's the complete package when it comes to running - a natural - and still is," Wharton coach Wes Newton said. "And she's going to be even better in college and beyond."

Like most who excel at their passion, Skinner has combined her natural ability with hard work to reach an exceptional level of success. She has also endured hardships, like her ongoing battle with asthma.

Since arriving at Wharton her sophomore year with her twin sister, Kathia, Katrina's accomplishments include six medals from the Class 3A state track and field finals, a top-15 showing in the 2006 state cross country meet and a top-50 performance at last fall's prestigious Foot Locker regional cross country championships.

She was also the Hillsborough County cross country champion - by nearly a minute margin of victory - district champion and the regional runner-up. She suffered a bad fall at the 3A state finals and was unable to finish, but Skinner rebounded at the Foot Locker meet to post the area's fastest 5-kilometer time of the season in 18 minutes, 34 seconds.

For those performances, as well as her efforts in the classroom that have consistently landed her on the school's honor roll, Skinner is this season's Tampa Tribune Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

Katrina and Kathia will head to the University of Central Florida this fall, where Newton expects them both to continue their winning ways. And he realizes he may never again have the opportunity to coach runners as gifted as the Skinners.

"I still remember the first time I saw them at our summer conditioning runs at Morris Bridge trails," Newton said. "I came home and told my wife Laura, 'These could be the ones.'"

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY FIRST TEAM

Erin Bailey, Wharton, So.

Sydney Coates, Newsome, So.

Olivia D'Angelo, Berk. Prep, Jr.

Alyssa Franks, Freedom, Jr.

Page Price, Berkeley Prep, Sr.

Kathia Skinner, Wharton, Sr.

Katrina Skinner, Wharton, Sr.

Coach of the Year: Orlando Greene, Newsome

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