Featured Athlete of the Week: Amillia Nally, Track, Cloverdale High School

Cloverdale senior Amillia Nally has been a three-sport athlete for the Clovers in each of her four years. Nally, 18, competes in cross country in the fall, basketball during the winter and track and field in the spring. Nally made regionals in cross country during her freshman season and as part of the 4x800 relay team as a junior. She has been named to all-county and all-conference in track and field and cross country. Being a runner, loves carbo-loading with spaghetti. Amillia loves to sing and her favorite class is choir, which she has done since sixth grade. "Pitch Perfect" is her favorite right now, but "Remember the Titans" is her all-time favorite movie. She has an active lifestyle with school, sports and work and is rarely at home. Her track and field events are the 1600-meter, high jump, 4x800 relay and 4x400 relay.

Amillia Nally

Banner Graphic: Who is your favorite athlete and why?
Amillia Nally: Maybe Tamika Catchings (a forward on the WNBA's Indiana Fever). She's an inspiration to me. She's just the best. I followed her even when she played in college. It would be crazy to meet her. I would freak out.

BG: When did you start running?
AN: When I first moved here in fourth grade, the next year I came into middle school and I didn't know what 'Cross County' was. I thought it was like, 'Oh, we're going across the country.' So the first day I showed up at practice and it's ... running. I just kind of stuck with it.

BG: Did you like running right away, or did you feel like since you'd started doing it you had to stick with it?
AN: I started doing and realized, 'I'm kind of good at this.' So I just kind of stuck with it.

BG: What is your favorite sport? What is your favorite event?
AN: Basketball is my favorite sport, but my favorite event in track is the 4x400 because you run fast and go home. It's the last event, so it's the best part of the whole entire meet. I run the last leg. 'Run fast. Go home.' That's my motto.

BG: What is your training like?
AN: We do vigorous work. You're sweating pretty good by the end of it. I run on my own on the weekend so I run every day. I run three or four miles, but I run with my dog (Roxy) so she can't really take it. She's kind of fat.

BG: How much does it help to be close to your teammates?
AN: We all kind of motivate each other. We know, as a team, we've been together forever. So in every single sport -- in a small school -- we all do the same things so we're all close and we know how each other works. If one person is down, we know what's wrong and it's easier to help that way and encourage the younger people to be the same way.

BG: What are your individual goals this season?
AN: I'm just trying to P.R. and do everything I can to get my record and put my name on that board.

BG: What records are you going for?
AN: My team currently has the 4x800 record here. The mile record is a 5:31, and I haven't broken that yet. I really want to by the end of the season.

BG: What are your plans after high school?
AN: To attend IU and to be an athletic trainer. I may do club sports but I haven't talked to any of the coaches. IU has always been my favorite. My dad is a big IU fan, so I grew up watching IU basketball and IU football. IU has just been a part of my family forever.