Full Speed Ahead

Trying to keep up with Covenant Christian senior Elizabeth Heuss is impossible. Not only is she a school record-holder in the 100 meter dash, but she's easily the most active student on the campus of the small private school on the west side of Indianapolis. "You don't ever see her not doing something," track coach Mike Pollard said. "At our meets, when she's not running she's either doing her homework or helping one of the younger kids learn something. She's never idle." In addition to earning 11 varsity letters at Covenant Christian, Heuss also served as president of the National Honor Society during her senior year and was active in student council, civics club and the girls discipleship club all four years. And when she walked across stage at graduation, she was one of four valedictorians. "The first thing I always try to do is lead by example," Heuss said. "As a leader, I feel it is important to set the correct example and to respect the people I lead." Pollard sees that leadership daily at practices. "Every time I look her way she's busy," said Pollard, who is in his first year coaching track. "She spends as much time at practice studying as she does running. Most kids use their time off the track to socialize, but Elizabeth is either studying or working out every second of practice. She's a workhorse." Heuss excelled in soccer and track all four years and played three years of basketball. She didn't play basketball this past year in order to devote more time to her role as president of the National Honor Society, but that didn't slow her down athletically. During the fall she set a school record by scoring 22 goals on the soccer field and she also owns school track records in the 100 dash (12.1 seconds) and 400 meters (59.42) as well as part of the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams. In early May, she won the Marion County title in the 200 meters. She also led the soccer team to a four year record of 40-21. Records, however, are not the mark she has left at Covenant Christian. "She's made herself the athlete she is by hard work," soccer coach Jerry Schafer said. "She has a lot of God-given talent, but she became a leader for us through hard work and the younger kids on the team noticed that the whole season. She's a very coachable kid who somehow always finds a way to get the job done." Heuss also shows her leadership abilities by helping others. She has been on two mission trips to Mexico and three other mission trips in the United States. "I just think it's a wonderful experience to get out there and help other people," Heuss said. "There are so many people in the world and it's nice to get out there and meet them and help them in whatever way you can." Heuss displays her work habits in everything she does. She's just 5-foot-1 and weighs slightly more than 120 pounds, but she can bench press 170 pounds and she can squat lift 22 percent of her body weight. It's that dedication to hard work that impresses Pollard the most. "I ran track in high school, but this is the first time I've coached it and I knew coming into the season that I would need help," he said. "Elizabeth was the biggest helper I had all season. She taught me things I had forgotten about running track and she's always out there helping the younger girls. She will be gone next year, but her presence will always be felt on this team." Heuss doesn't have any immediate plans to participate in athletics in college. She'll attend Grace College in the fall and plans to study math education while minoring in Spanish. She hopes to someday be a high school teacher. "I looked at a lot of colleges, but Grace is near where we have vacationed the past few years and I just feel very comfortable there," Heuss said. "It's a school that offers everything I was looking for." Schafer thinks success will follow Heuss no matter where she attends college. "I have no doubt she'll be a success in whatever direction she takes," Schafer said. "She's a very smart girl who is always participating in something. There's no question in my mind that she'll be a success in life." BIO BOX Name: Elizabeth Heuss School: Senior at Covenant Christian Birthday: November 16, 1989 Favorite food: Strawberry pie Favorite musical artist: Rush of Fools Favorite restaurant: Texas Roadhouse Favorite pro sports team: Indianapolis Colts Favorite color: Indianapolis Colts blue Person I most admire: Anyone in my immediate family. Future plans: Study math education at Grace College