Woodrow Wilson senior Leslie Barnes is noted for her volleyball, cheerleading, singing, dancing and academics. Despite all that, there is one more thing she wants to squeeze in this spring: a high finish in the regional track and field meet.
“Last year, I was third at district in the long jump, and they take only the top two to regionals,” Barnes says.
“But the girl who was second skipped that event to concentrate on the 100, so I got to go. This year, I want to make it on my own, to be number one or number two at district.”
“Also, coach (Steve) Wolf has set some goals for me. Within a month, I hope to long jump 16 feet, and he thinks I should go 33 feet in the triple jump. I have the form but not the strength or speed.”
Barnes is accustomed to meeting her goals. She was district Player of the Year in volleyball last fall as a strong-side hitter. She ranks ninth in her class with a 92.5 grade-point average, sings and dances in the Variations performing group, and has a part in the spring musical, “Singin’ in the Rain.”
As for her jumping, Wolf says: “She might be the most coachable kids I’ve had in 10 years at Woodrow. She has the ability to produce a quality effort when the chips are on the table.”
Barnes long-jumped a personal-best, 15 feet 7 inches, at last year’s district meet, and triple-jumped 31 feet 6 inches, competing against stronger and faster girls.
There will be days during track season, Barnes admits, when she will long jump in the afternoon and perform on stage a couple of hours later.
“I think it makes me a better person to do more,” she says. “I wouldn’t be a cheerleader if that was all I could do. I like singing and dancing and sports. When I have to drive from the Berkner Invitational to the school for the musical, I don’t mind. I’ll take my own car.”
Barnes says she has applied for admission to high academic schools, such as Vanderbilt and Texas Christian University, as well as inquiring at Southwestern and Howard Payne, where she has been encouraged to play sports.
“I’d like to play in college,” she says, “but I worry about being taken out of too many classes. I might get behind. Yet I might be miserable if I didn’t (play).
“I really enjoy track and competing. I did a lot of extra work last year, staying and lifting weights and getting stronger, so I wouldn’t be at the bottom of the list in track.”
“I’ll keep on working out, because I want to place in every meet this year.”
Well-Rounded Track Team
The Woodrow girls track team is sprinkled with all-around girls who don’t concentrate on just one extracurricular activity.
Junior Erin Murray, one of the favorites for the district 800 and 1,500 meters (she’s defending district champ in the later), works out and competes on the swim team, runs cross country, and will be the Wildcat mascot in the fall. Mavis Webb, a junior, is defending district champ in the discus, an All-District volleyball player, and has been elected varsity cheerleader. Kelly Ewert, also a junior, will join the relay teams as soon as she finishes basketball season.
Football Team Members Honored
Woodrow Wilson tailback/nose guard Felix Brown received honorable mention on the Class 4A All-State team as linebacker.
The senior, three-year letterman ran for almost 1,000 yards during the 1993 season.
“He would have had a thousand,” says head coach Bruce Land, “but he broke his hand and could play only on defense in our last game. Felix ran for about 2,600 yard in his career.”
Brown was an All-District honoree as a sophomore and junior on defense. He was a first-team all-district selection this year on offense, and district rules prevent a player from making the team on both sides of the ball.
Other Wildcats who received all-district honors were linebacker Miguel Haro and punter Nathan Johnson on the first team, offensive tackle Kevin Witherspoon, tight end Aaron Sherman, center Chris Hendricks, defensive tackle Sergio Lozano, defensive end Brennan Wallace and safety Joe Theriot on the second team.
