A Closer Look - Season 2 (Brooke Inman)
“Make sure you have a true college experience.” It is a saying thousands of high school seniors hear when they are about to graduate and embark on the next four years of their lives at a collegiate institution.
Junior Brooke Inman has been sure to live up to those expectations. While many students take college classes that peak his or her interests for fun, join clubs and play intramurals, Inman did something that not many people have the will power or ambition to do.
Growing up, Inman last competed on a competitive team in middle school when she was on the swim team. During her high school days at Aiken H.S., Inman was a typical student. She had several friends, was outgoing and did well in school. However, she didn’t have a competitive drive at that point to try out for any of the various sports that Aiken H.S. offered.
After starting her collegiate education at USC Aiken, Inman stayed busy with classes, friends and daily activities that so many of the student population is involved with. It wasn’t until her sophomore year, with the help of several influential roommates, did Inman start to do something out of her ordinary life.
As a sophomore, Inman lived with Colleen Cirillo, Brittany May and Samantha Lisek. All three happened to be on the cross country team, under the guidance of head coach Kara Kreutzer.
“My roommates encouraged me to try running,” Inman said. “They were very passionate about it and said it was a good way to relieve stress. I decided to start running for that purpose.”
“Brooke was a hard working student who, like anyone, would get stressed and overwhelmed at times,” May said. “To help with her stress, myself, along with our roommates, convinced her running was a great stress reliever. She really started enjoying running. Therefore, we thought it would be a great fit to join the tea. It would be a great way to do something she enjoyed while spending bonding time with a wonderful group of women.”
“I ran with Brittany some in the spring of 2015 and I slowly started working my way into running more,” Inman stated. “We would run Pacer Path.
“Although I thought about walking onto the team, I wasn’t sure about it,” Inman said. “In the summer, I expressed interest but didn’t train as well as I should have over that time.”
Inman still looked strong considering she had been running for only a few months compared to several members of the team that had been running their entire lives.
“The first preseason practice was an eye opener,” Inman stated. “I was immediately sore the next day. I knew that I should’ve been more strict over the summer if I wanted to be on the team.”
Inman recorded a top-20 finish in her first collegiate meet, coming at the Bobcat Classic. However, after one more race, she suffered an injury that forced her to miss time this fall, including the team’s lone home meet.
“I’m trying my best right now,” Inman said. “Overcoming an injury has been tough, but I am continuing to set goals for the rest of the season and for next year.”
Kreutzer gave Inman an opportunity to compete at the collegiate level and it has paid off. In addition to having a pair of solid outings before suffering an injury, Inman has continued to be a good teammate despite having to miss time.
“I think Brooke has great potential in running,” May stated. “She is dedicated and hard working. I think being hurt has been hard on her, but I know she will do anything in her power to compete to the best of her ability.”
Inman has overcome the shin splints and was back competing alongside her teammates at the Francis Marion Invitational. With dedicated training, Inman will be in the midst of scoring points for the Pacers throughout her senior campaign. Regardless, Inman can truly tell her friends, family and others that she stepped outside the box and gained a true college experience.
