Middle Georgia Track Star Heading to Clemson, High School Coach is Also Her Guardian

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – When Anasterasia Terrell was in the sixth grade, her current track coach, Sherri Marks, recognized during basketball tryouts that Anasterasia wasn’t cut out for the hardwood, but she was impressed by the youngster’s speed.

Marks asked the middle schooler to join the track team.

“I had my first rack meet in Tennessee,” says Terrell, laughing.  “I was like, so nervous, and when I first did my competition, I ran off the track because the lines were really confusing.  But then after that, everything just got better.”

Marks took Terrell under her wing first as an athlete — Terrell is now on Howard High School’s track team–but eventually decided to take her out of Hezbollah Children’s Home and into her own.

When Terrell was in the ninth grade, colleges had already started calling.

By her senior year, Anasterasia had to narrow down her list of offers to just three schools.  Last week, she chose Clemson–currently the No. 1 ranked team in the country.

“I try not to choose a school based upon their ranking,” says Terrell.  “Just because they’re ranked No. 1 doesn’t mean their coach is always going to be there.  But I committed to Clemson back in November, but they became No. 1 in the nation in January, so that had nothing to do with why I chose Clemson.”

But it’s a move that could land the No. 1 triple jumper in the state of Georgia in the Olympics soon, as long as she stays grounded.

“She wants to be in the Olympics and that’s her goal, and I want that for her, but I first want her to realize that she’s going there to get that education first,” says Marks.  “Stay in the books, do what she can, work hard, and then track is always second.  As long as we get that done, I think we’re going to reach that goal of getting to the Olympics in 2016.”

Anasterasia hopes to become a physical therapist once she’s out of college.

She says she’s had injuries herself in the past and wants to be able to help others be able to get over theirs.