True champions
Many things describe Jenna DeLong of Coeur d’Alene and Frank Lagrimanta of Timberlake.
Champion is one word that comes to mind. Perhaps what separated them from others, though, is an uncommon work ethic. That is the foundation that allowed them to become champions in their athletic and academic pursuits.
DeLong and Lagrimanta are the Idaho Spokesman-Review’s 2006-07 Female and Male Athletes of the Year.
For DeLong, the path to becoming one of the best softball players in Coeur d’Alene history wasn’t one shaped by her parents. Her family didn’t live, eat and breathe softball from the time she was old enough to throw a ball.
Softball was perhaps the game DeLong was born to play. But not before she tried practically everything else. Had she been given a choice, she probably would have tried a few boys sports.
“I loved football and I wanted to play football, but my parents wouldn’t let me,” DeLong said.
The sport she participated in first was equestrian, her mom’s favorite. Her mom, April, was competing on a national level before Jenna was born.
“From the time I was six months old I was on a horse,” Jenna said.
Equestrian led to her trying tennis, soccer, golf, track and, ultimately, volleyball, basketball and softball – the three sports she would play as a freshman and sophomore in high school before she gave up volleyball to focus on her two favorites.
“I did every sport they could sign me up for,” DeLong said. “I can’t think of a sport I didn’t play. My parents wanted me to be exposed to everything, but they didn’t push me toward anything in particular.”
The 5-foot-11 DeLong, who was seemingly always tall for her age, even played soccer. You can guess what position her coach made her play? Yep, goalie.
“I didn’t like soccer. It was boring,” DeLong said.
It was thought that DeLong would evolve into an outstanding golfer. After all, her father Mike was a longtime area professional and her aunt Mary spent some time on the LPGA Tour.
Jenna played in some junior golf tournaments. But she never developed a passion for it, and her father was completely content with her decision to do other things.
Jenna knows her dad is an outstanding golfer, so a statement he made to her recently is something she’ll always cherish.
“He says it’s more fun for him to watch me do what I love to do than for him to do what he loves to do,” she said. “My parents made me the person that I am. I don’t have a better relationship than I do with my parents. They’ve taught me endless things and supported me through everything.”
Funny thing is a little more than a year ago she told her basketball coach that she wanted to go to Gonzaga and play basketball.
About a month later, though, DeLong decided that the sport that would get her into college would be softball. Still, there was a point last summer in the middle of a hectic schedule that she was ready to walk away from her favorite sport.
More than anything, DeLong was fatigued. A week off allowed her to clear her head.
Near the end of last summer, coaches from Drake University and Oregon State saw DeLong play. Each school invited her to visit.
She visited OSU first and discovered she was being recruited as an athlete, not necessarily a pitcher. And the school didn’t have her interest – journalism.
When she flew to Des Moines, Iowa, she fell in love with Drake. The school wanted her first as a pitcher and it also had the academic program she wanted to pursue. The decision was easy.
It’s a strong possibility that DeLong will get a chance to start right away. The Bulldogs just finished a difficult season at 16-36, and they need pitching. DeLong thinks she can be the answer.
For Lagrimanta, the end of his state title-filled prep career comes at a welcomed time. He has essentially run the past two years unchallenged at the 3A level and he’s ready to leap from a small pond into a big lake, athletically speaking.
He can’t wait to go to Montana State University where he will compete in cross country and track.
“I’m so tired of running by myself,” Lagrimanta said.
That frustration peaked at state two weeks ago. He wanted to challenge the meet records in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. But a midseason quad injury coupled with the fact that he was running by himself essentially hamstrung Lagrimanta.
Of the two sports, cross country is easily Lagrimanta’s favorite. Track is much more confining, requiring a sprinter-like kick at the end. Lagrimanta is better the longer the race and the more diverse terrain that is involved. Show him a hiking trail in the forest and he’ll be off to see how fast he can traverse the new running route.
The guiding light for Lagrimanta has been his Christian faith.
“Going through this last track season, with the injury and the fact that I wasn’t being challenged, really took a lot of patience and prayer,” Lagrimanta said. “I’m looking forward to college and chasing people down again.”
Lagrimanta thinks he can contribute immediately at MSU.
“I’m going to train intensively this summer,” he said. “I’ll show up and work my way up the team. If I take this summer seriously, I think I can go in and help right away.”