Sarah Deboer Lakeland Year: Sophomore Sport: Track Events: Hurdles, High Jump

For most of last year, she was referred to as Brett DeBoer’s little sister.

A year later, it hasn’t quite swung completely the other way - “Brett DeBoer is Sarah’s older brother” - but she’s on her way to making a name for herself.

“I’ve always said that by the time Sarah is done she’ll be one of the top (female) athletes to come through here,” Lakeland head track coach Lee Libera said. “She doesn’t have to take second billing to anybody.”

At this point, track is far and away her best and favorite sport. She played volleyball for the first time last year and split time on the varsity and junior varsity basketball teams.

When asked if DeBoer reminds Libera of any recent multiple-sport athletes, he didn’t hesitate: The name of former Coeur d’Alene High track and basketball standout Corissa Yasen quickly rolled off his tongue.

“She’s a diamond in the rough (especially in volleyball and basketball),” Libera said.

DeBoer, a graceful, long-legged hurdler at 5-foot-10, came within a quarter-inch of the school record in the high jump last week when she cleared 5-4. She holds the school record in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles (47.71 seconds), a time she posted in the prelims at state last year. She placed third in the finals.

She shaved five-tenths of a second off her personal best in the 100 high hurdles Saturday when she led Lakeland to the team title at the Freeman Invitational.

DeBoer will contend for medals, if not state titles, in the three events next month. She’ll likely also anchor a relay.

Libera recalled DeBoer’s first race at state last year - a preliminary heat in the 100 hurdles.

DeBoer false-started. “She looked like a giraffe going to water; she fell out of the blocks,” Libera said. “I think she would have placed. It was a good learning experience.”

Of the two hurdle races, DeBoer prefers the longer race over the short sprint.

“(The short sprint is) such a fast race that sometimes I get to watching (my competitors) instead of racing my own race,” she said.

She has discovered that mistakes are more costly in the 100 hurdles than 300.

“One mistake in the 100s and you’re done,” she said. “In the 300s it’s a staggered start and, for me, it’s easier to focus on me.”

She qualified for state in four events last year, and she’ll likely do the same this season.

“I probably like track more because it’s more individual,” DeBoer said. “I can control what happens. Win or lose I know what I’ve done wrong or whatever.”

One day recently Sarah and her brother were comparing newspaper headlines. “It’s great to see the DeBoer name in there a lot,” she said. “I’m just really having a fun year.”

Even after her brother graduates this year, the DeBoer name will continue to make headlines.

When told of Libera’s prediction, DeBoer blushed slightly before smiling.

“We’ve had lots of great athletes (at Lakeland), but to possibly be remembered as one of the great ones would be a compliment,” she said.

DeBoer carries a 4.0 grade-point average. Her discipline in the classroom carries over to the track.

“She pushes herself hard; she goes over and beyond expectations,” Libera said.

Libera has no doubt that DeBoer will collect a gold medal or two before she finishes her career.

“She’ll be a state champion if I have anything to say about it,” he said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo