Bulldogs’ traveling girl

It seems like Lauren McCarroll is always chalking up the miles.

Whether the Crown Point senior is logging them on the cross country trails, the track, or in the air.

In the air?

That’s right — in the air.

The Bulldogs’ top runner estimates she’s been to Europe at least 18 times since she was a toddler.

She’ll be leaving the country again in less than two weeks when her family embarks on a trip to Scotland (where her mother, Fiona, is from) for her uncle Steven’s wedding.

“It should be really, really fun,” said McCarroll, who placed second at last year’s Crown Point Regional, eighth at the New Prairie Semistate and 35th at the state meet.

“I’ve been going there (Europe) ever since I was a kid. My parents believe we should be cultured, have a good understanding of what really goes on in the world, and be involved in a lot of things.”

McCarroll definitely has a lot on her plate.

She’s a fierce competitor — having qualified for state every year in cross country and track — twice on relay teams and once as an individual.

She plays the cello in the school orchestra and has been playing it since the fifth grade.

McCarroll is sophisticated, engaging and articulate. She’s mature and wise beyond her 17 years.

On top of all that, she’s very intelligent — carrying a 3.8 GPA in mostly honors and advanced placement classes — and appears to be well on her way toward becoming a savvy, young businesswoman.

She earned a $1,000 scholarship this past summer to Wabash College’s prestigious OLAB — Opportunity to Learn About Business program.

The OLAB program teaches students business can be not only creative, challenging and rewarding, but fun.

McCarroll was one of 53 high school seniors from seven states and France, who experienced the opportunity to run mock businesses.

“It definitely solidified my interest in business,” she said. “It helped give me a better idea of what I want to do with my life. Before OLAB, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do in the future.”

McCarroll learned about advertising campaigns, slogans and ways of getting products out in creative ways.

“It really impacted my life in a really positive way,” McCarroll said. “I really felt pretty confident in terms of what I really wanted to do with my life after that. I found something interesting. It’s something I can do and something I would like to do. I met some really intelligent, intriguing and fun people there that made the whole experience awesome.”

McCarroll wants to eventually earn a degree in sports marketing and pursue a career in the field.

Her stern work ethic should help make that dream a reality.

“That’s her greatest strength,” Crown Point coach Patty Begley said. “She’s taken the talent she has and maximized it. She’s gone above and beyond. She’s definitely one of the top blue-collar runners in the area. Lauren is not afraid to go out and work hard. I think it’s something that not only benefits her as a competitive runner, but will serve her well in life, too.”

McCarroll said her main goal this season is to finish among the top 25 runners at state and earn all-state recognition.

“That’s definitely a goal I’m really hoping for and trying to achieve,” she said. “I just want to keep progressing — running to the best of my ability — so I can try to achieve more than I ever have before. I have to keep my goals very high, because I don’t want to let down my coach, my teammates, or myself.

“I don’t ever want to leave anything out on the course. I want my team to be the very best it can be and I want to be running my best when the postseason starts.”

With former teammate Laicee Pierce now running at Indiana University, McCarroll has assumed a full leadership role for the Bulldogs.

Begley said McCarroll leads by example and is also very vocal.

“Lauren’s not afraid to praise teammates, or correct them, if needed,” she said.

“She’s a natural-born leader — that’s just who she is. She’s had to learn how to bring people together for a common goal. I feel like now she sees the bigger picture and understands how her actions affect everyone else. She’s the one the younger girls look up to now and think: ‘This is how you become a really awesome runner.’

“Lauren is one of elite runners in the area and one of the top runners in the state. I know that’s what she has her eye on this year.”

With McCarroll, one thing’s for sure.

There’s no doubt she’ll put in the miles to make sure she arrives at her destination.

P-T Girls top 5

1. Valparaiso

2. Lake Central

3. Crown Point

4. Lowell

5. Portage

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