Zeeland West record

Jul 24, 2023

ZEELAND - Avari Peddie comes from a family of speed.

Her parents and older brother were track stars and the Zeeland West junior wanted to follow in their fast footsteps.

While she has always been fast, Peddie hit a new gear this season, blazing her own speed trail on her way to several school records and a spot at the state meet in the long jump.

"It means so much. My mom and dad did track. My brother did. It is just an honor to carry on the family legacy - to work hard and be a part of something," Peddie said. "It was funt to work up to something big like that."

Peddie has the school record in the 100 meters (12.83 seconds), the 200 (26.43) and is an inch away in the long jump (16 feet, 9 3/4 inches). Plus she is one of the fastest relay runners in school history.

"Everything she does, she does extremely well," Zeeland West coach Aaron Kenemer said. "She is physically prepared and put in a lot of work with her strength training. Mentally, she is prepared, too. I know when she steps up to the line, she has done everything she can to be ready for that race."

That is an incredible mindset when dealing with one event, but Peddie is that ready for at least two sprints, two or three relays and the long jump - every single meet.

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"It has been a challenge, but I like an aspect of every event, so it isn't as difficult. I look at it as an opportunity," Peddie said. "Providing for my team is fun."

Especially when she is seeing the results of her year-round work with school records in the 100 and 200.

"It is just really rewarding. I have put a lot of work in. It is exciting to know I can work alongside people who push me," she said.

In addition to the winner's mindset, it doesn't hurt that Peddie comes from an athletic family, tried several sports and has an extremely athletic body.

Put that all together and you have a pretty rare athlete.

"I did competitive gymnastics for years. It is rough on the body and grueling mentally. That prepared me to be an all-around athlete. You have to be a little bit of everything. Over time, and with my genetics, it has set me up to be strong over all areas," Peddie said. "My mom also did the 100, 200, 400 in high school and college. That has set me up well.

"I have worked with a lot of different types of lifting. Working on all areas of my body has been good. I have had a lot of people coach me how to lift and that has played a big part in how I run. I like to have fun until I get into the blocks. The second that gun goes off, I am competiting. But the second I cross the line, I flip it back."

Peddie will finish her stellar season at the Division 1 state championships on Saturday at Rockford, competing in the long jump.

She qualified by just three quarters of an inch, and that left her just one inch away from a school record.

"I worked a lot this past summer and winter. It was a long process. I spent time studying long jump and coming to the track," Peddie said. "I have been working to that point. I knew I wanted to get out and hit that qualifying mark. I didn't do it in prelims, but I was really determined in finals to get there. It took a few tries, but I did it. It was super exciting."

Peddie also is excited to have another season at Zeeland West to hopefully improve upon all of her growing records.

That could set her up for a strong college career as well, something she has had her eye on.

"I would really like to run in college. I just want to follow in my mom's footsteps and follow the family legacy," she said. "I would love to have a college opportunity."

But first, the opportunity of competing in the long jump looms before her. She is excited to have a meet with one focus after so many meets loaded with events.

"I think it can definitely help. Sometimes I am at long jump and I am thinking about my 400 or my 200, so this can help. Track is very mental. I am really excited to focus on one thing at a time. I try to do that in all of my meets, but this will force me to do that," Peddie said. "It will take a lot of mental preparation and visualization. I need to have a good attitude. I have learned that my attitude plays a huge part in how I compete. I want to go out there and be a dominant competitor."

It is something Kenemer has seen from her all season. But he is excited to see what having the focus of just one event can bring.

"It will be nice for her to just focus on one event and not feel like she has to carry the team," Kenemer said. "She jumped great at regionals and she has broken every record. For her, it is just about competing and if she has a good day, it will be another school record."

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.