July 29, 2024
East Ridge High Junior Veronica Peterson Prepares For Big Year In Cross-Country
By Kyle Coppola
East Ridge High Junior Veronica Peterson Prepares For Big Year In Cross-Country
As the East Ridge High School girls cross-country team gears up for another exciting season, junior Veronica Peterson stands out as a key member of the two-time Class 4A district championship team. A dedicated athlete, Veronica has demonstrated some amazing talent on the cross-country course. Peterson achieved a personal best of 18:43 in the 5K.
Reflecting on her high school cross country career, Veronica fondly recalls her favorite moment: “Last year when we won districts and we took a lot of pictures and vlogged the whole day. We went to UCF and ate Chick-Fil-A after. It was a special moment that I will always hold dear.” This moment captures the camaraderie and joy that comes with being part of a successful cross-country team. While cross-country is run individually it is a team sport. Every runner earns points depending on where they finish and East Ridge High had a fantastic year in 2023.
(Veronica Peterson runs at the Class 4A Regional Championships in November, 2023.)
This year could be even better as head coach Grant Mollett is very excited about the teams chances. Mollett is also a Social Studies, AP World Hitory, AP European History adn AP US History teacher at East Ridge High School.
Outside of cross country, Veronica enjoys playing softball. Her passion for the sport complements her running, providing a well-rounded athletic experience that keeps her engaged and motivated year-round. Being a multi sport athlete comes with challenges but Veronica takes the challenge head on.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Veronica is most excited about spending time with her teammates. “Hanging out with the team is the best part of my day. Running and competing with them is even better,” says Veronica.
As the season approaches, Veronica Peterson and her teammates are ready to take on new challenges, set new personal bests, and enjoy the journey together. Keep an eye on Veronica as she continues to shine both on and off the course in 2024.
Photo Credit – East Ridge High School
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
