WC coach shines at State Games
Published 12:00 am Monday, June 25, 2001
Andrea Fairchild, Warren Central’s track and field coach, shows off her medals from the State Games. (The Vicksburg Post/C. TODD SHERMAN)
[06/22/01] During the spring, Warren Central girls track coach Andrea Fairchild leads her team through instruction and drills.
This summer, she’s leading by example.
Fairchild won gold medals in three field events in the women’s 25-29-year-olds’ age group last weekend at the State Games of Mississippi. It was her second trip to the annual event in Meridian her first was in 1998 and the second time she has swept the high jump, shot put and discus events.
“Hopefully they see that as a good thing, that you don’t have to quit after high school or college. You can always be working for something else,” said Fairchild, who has coached WC for three seasons and led the Lady Vikes to back-to-back division titles.
With the sweep, Fairchild qualified for the national meet in August 2002. But competition on a national level is nothing new for the 27-year-old Indiana native, who threw the javelin and competed in the heptathlon while at Indiana State.
Now, she competes to stay in shape and have fun.
“It is for fun, but I started sports in fourth grade, so I think it’s an inbred competitive thing. Once you step out on the field, you’re there to win,” she said.
Although she runs every day and occasionally works out with her team during the season, Fairchild said she barely practiced in the days leading up to the State Games.
“I didn’t even really practice because we take all of the equipment up when the kids are done at school. So I really didn’t practice for a month. But I did well. Better than I thought I would do,” she said.
Fairchild’s heptathlon experience has come in handy during coaching by giving her experience with several different events, she said. It also helped in Meridian. All three gold medals were in events that are included in the heptathlon.
She threw the shot 31 feet, 1 inch; the discus 86 feet, 10 inches, and cleared 4 feet, 8 inches on the high jump much lower than her college height of 5-6, but still good enough to win easily.
“At least I’m not over the hill yet,” Fairchild said with a laugh. “It was surprising in the high jump, because I beat everybody, even the guys. Of course, there was a group of older gentlemen, about 60-something, and they were giving me a hard time Oh, we can’t let the girl win.’ ”
She may not be done winning, either. Along with her trip to the national meet next year, Fairchild said she was hoping to bring several athletes, or possibly an entire team, from Vicksburg to compete in next year’s State Games. Several girls from WC had planned to compete as a relay team in this year’s Games, but injuries nixed the idea.
Warren Central’s girls basketball team and several members of the Viksburg High and WC baseball teams are competing in the games.
“My goal is to get as many of my girls, and even Vicksburg High School girls, because we’re all from the same place, to go over there and make a showing and to keep in shape throughout the summer,” she said. “So next year, I’d like to say, Come and compete in the morning and then laugh at the coach in the afternoon.'”