* Aria Pearce is a high school freshman that attends Rock Creek High School in St. George, Kansas
Photo Credit: Aria Pearce
- - -
Rock Creek High School freshman Aria Pearce is taking a different route to start her high school career.
She confirmed this week on Instagram that she plans to compete unattached for the rest of the spring season.
The reason?
Pearce and her family read the Kansas State High School Activities Association rulebook. In it came a guideline that said no athlete can travel more than 500 miles outside state lines to compete and that no athlete representing a member school could compete in more than eight track meets during a given season.
"Perhaps in the future, high school track at Rock Creek will be an option, but to stay on track for a possible run at high level national and worldwide competition, I need to compete outside the state of Kansas," she wrote.
For some athletes, the pre-determined limit of competition days doesn't adversely impact their season. But for a young athlete like Pearce, who competed at Nike Outdoor Nationals last June and the U.S. U20 Championships in July, garnering more race experience is very beneficial for improvement.
So far this outdoor season, Pearce has competed in Hays, Kansas; Riverside California; Fullerton, California; and this weekend she's traveling to Palo Alto to compete at the Stanford High School Invitational.
Over the last few years, Pearce has collected a wide array of accolades, establishing herself as one of the top talents in both Kansas. With this decision, she said, she hopes to elevate her performances on a national level.
She finished her eighth-grade year with all-time state records in Kansas, clocking wind-legal times of 11.73 (+1.0) and 23.79 (+0.5) in the 100m and 200m. This past weekend, she clocked all conditions bests of 11.38 and 23.14 against NCAA Division II and JUCO athletes.
For now, she sits No. 31 all-time among freshman in the 200m.
Pearce added that the door isn't fully closed on competing for Rock Creek, but in the meantime ...she's chasing after her ambitions.
