Goose Creek CISD April 2024

Cover Story

Lee

THE FUTURIST LEE’S GORDON HAS A ONE-TRACK MIND

\\ Matthew Ogle

every year that I’ve been running, and I know we’re going to make it there again this year, if not better.” If being a first-class component of the Ganders relay team wasn’t enough, this Lee senior also spends her time perfecting another craft that requires her dedication. “I’ve basically been a dancer all my life,” Gordon said. “I love dancing just as much as I love to run. It all kind of plays together, since they both require a lot of conditioning. I’m a member of Lee’s dance team (The Celebrities), and I mainly dance to the hip-hop genre, and maybe a little jazz.” Gordon seems to have it all figured out, dating back to her childhood. Given that fact, it shouldn’t come as a shock that she already has plans for the future. “I’m not sure which college I want to attend just yet, but I do know that I want to go into the medical or education field someday,” she said. “I love helping people, and I’ve wanted to be a trauma surgeon since I was a little kid. “I’ve always been one to watch Criminal Minds and shows like that, so I think I have the stomach for it. If I can go into that field and maybe go into education and teach it, that would be something cool.” If her track record is any indication, Gordon and company will only be looking ahead this spring, as they pursue their fourth-straight Regional appearance and more.

she said. “They motivate me all the time. I couldn’t ask for a better team to be a part of, and the same can be said for the coaching staff, who I love so much. Plus, being able to encourage other girls to run and do the things that we do is amazing. “Overall, they are the reason I’ve stuck with it for so long. Becoming one with them has been a blessing. We’ve made it to Regionals

“I’ve always loved to run,” said Gordon. “All of my siblings did it, and I would love to watch them at their summer meets, which led to me getting into track. I’ve been a natural runner ever since. I am the last girl of the family, so it means a lot to me to have this opportunity.” Gordon’s relatives aren’t the only ones driving her to compete. “It’s also my ‘track family’,”

COMPETING AT A HIGH LEVEL IN GREATER HOUSTON TRACK AND FIELD IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE. There’s a certain mental fortitude and passion required for an athlete to constantly push themselves beyond their limits in order to succeed. Fortunately for Baytown Lee’s Shanya Gordon, those intangibles come naturally to her.