West Aurora freshman Spagnola shines on the track

Updated: May 17, 2011 8:00PM

The kid was a natural. Everybody said so.

Teresa Towles knew from watching her run at middle school meets that freshman Emma Spagnola could be an impact athlete on her West Aurora varsity girls track program from Day 1. But the Blackhawks’ coach also knew the youngster had a strong interest in softball and wasn’t a lock to even come out for her sport.

“I saw her run as a seventh-grader and introduced myself right away,” Towles said, smiling. “She came to a couple of our summer camps but she also played travel softball.

“I spoke to her dad and he said it would be her choice. I agreed. I’m not the kind of coach who is gonna chase kids around the halls trying to get them to come out. They have to want to.”

So Towles was pleasantly surprised in November when Spagnola showed up for preseason conditioning workouts for indoor track.

And those projections? Everyone was right.

Spagnola’s first outdoor season culminates this weekend with a trip to Charleston, where she will be competing in the state track meet in both the 100-meter high hurdles and long jump after winning both events at last Friday’s Naperville North Class 3A Sectional.

“I didn’t think I would do this good,” she said.

She came up short in the high jump and 300 low hurdles, but could be called upon to run with the 400 and 800 relay teams that qualified Friday without her.

“I knew I was gonna do track this year. Now, I’m pretty sure I’ll be doing it every single year,” said Spagnola, who will again play the outfield in summer travel softball with her Kane County Xplosion team.

“I’m also going to practice with the Aurora Sundowners (summer team coached by Wilbert Walters) when I can and compete in meets when I can.”

Spagnola, who had a winning long jump of 17 feet, 10˝ inches at sectional, is ranked ninth in the event among state qualifiers. She’s 13th in the 100 high hurdles.

“I think those are my two favorite events,” said Spagnola, who said she asked to try the hurdles race in the seventh grade because “it looked really fun and challenging.”

Towles was amazed the first time she saw the youngster run it.

“I asked her who had coached her and she said no one,” the coach remembers. “She just had great form with virtually no training. It was amazing. Now, my goal is to get her stronger. She’ll improve even more.”

This is Spagnola’s first year competing in the long jump.

“She’s great,” West assistant coach Dave “Hammer” Hammerberg said. “She’s a hard worker, easy to coach and a very good athlete.

“I’ve taught her how to hang her jump a little longer to get more distance. You arch your back in mid-air to get a little more distance and you keep your feet out in front, which also helps. She’s learned it pretty quickly and has been getting a p.r. in the last couple meets.

“I know she likes softball and is pretty good. But she’s really good at track.”

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