Sahuaro junior Brielle Sterns trains like a professional athlete, constantly fine-tuning her mind and body.
She has help. Her father, Darian, helps her train. Her brother, Cole, a former state champion in the long jump who now plays football at Northern Arizona, passes along tips and tricks.
Brielle’s phone conversations with Cole, a sophomore defensive back, are more frequent with big track meets looming. Sterns will lead the Cougars into this weekend’s Mario Castro Invitational, one of the final tune-ups before next month’s state track meet.
“We talked yesterday,” Sterns said. “I watch a lot of video on him and we talked long jump, how he hitch kicks in the air and how to slow it down.”
Here’s how Sterns, who has verbally committed to run track and play volleyball at New Mexico State, has fared throughout her career and what is expected over the next month.
100-meter hurdles
Best time this season: Sterns posted a 14.59-second time at the Casa Grande Kiwanis Invitational on April 1, good for a first-place finish. Sterns also placed first in Tempe at the 37th Sun Angel Track Classic.
Track record: Sterns is a two-time defending state champion in the 100 hurdles, with a personal-best time of 14.35 seconds.
Coachspeak: “At Tempe, she just won that back-to-back years and that’s with Division I (high) schools. She goes up there and whoever she goes against, she wins with 14.7 — not her best, she was a little rushed. But competition, she’s not afraid of it.” — Sahuaro coach David Spencer
300-meter hurdles
Best time this season: She posted a time of 47.91 seconds at the Casa Grande Invitational, finishing fourth despite dealing with a sore hamstring.
Track record: Sterns placed fourth at last year’s D-II state meet with a time of 46.05 seconds. She also placed fourth at state as a freshman with a personal-best time of 46.02.
Coachspeak: “Her next building block is the 300 hurdles, that’s her goal for state, so we’re working our way up to the 300-hurdle championships.” — Spencer
Long jump
Best time this season: Sterns will make her debut at the Mario Castro Invitational.
Track record: Sterns posted a qualifying mark of 17 feet 11 inches at the Mario Castro Invitational, the first time she had jumped all year, then won a D-II state championship by jumping 18-2. Sterns place ninth at state as a freshman in 2014.
Coachspeak: “What does she do well? The better question is, what doesn’t she do well? She does everything well if she puts her mind to it. Once she gets going, nothing can stop her. She’s her hardest critic. Like long jump, she just did that the one meet last year and bangs out a state qualifying mark in one meet. What kind of kid does that? ” — Spencer
4x400 relay
Best time this season: Sterns and teammates Annabella Spencer, Tyra Yanez and Kaylen Fox placed fourth with a time of 4 minutes 17.95 seconds at the March 19 Willie Williams Classic.
Track record: Sterns, Yanez, Spencer and Jamie Holliday placed ninth at the 2014 state meet with a time of 4:11.38.
Coachspeak: “Our 4x4 team, look out Mario Castro. I think this will be our best meet. We have a whole different team with new girls, so we’re looking to PR. She’ll qualify, but she can only do four events at state. That’s the good thing: We can get qualified in all these events, points-wise. If we need her there, she’s willing to do that. She’s grown from freshman to sophomore to now in being more of a leader. She doesn’t speak it, but (does it) with actions.” — Spencer
