by Elsie Walker

One might say that Megan Timoney leads the pack at West Morris Mendham High School.  Participating in cross country and running in track and field, Timoney, a senior, has distinguished herself among the athletes at the school.  Her cross country coach, Rob Kertesz, noted that Timoney’s best time of the XC season was 19:54 at Central Park in Morris County. He said that Timoney was the team captain and led the team to a conference, county, and state sectional championship. In recognition of her contributions and achievements in sports, Timoney was  named female athlete of the year and in February, represented the school at the annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day held at Seton Hall University 

“I’ve been running for the youth track and cross country teams since I was in kindergarten, so it’s something that I’ve always liked doing. When I got to high school, one of the main reasons I joined was because my older sister(who is now running at Colgate University) convinced me to join the team,” said Timoney. She noted that she is a long distance runner and in track events usually runs the two mile or mile and sometimes the 800 meter.

Kertesz noted that Timoney is an asset as a veteran and leader of his team. She has been a leader not only this year, but in the past. He shared that as a freshman, she was a member of a squad that won a state championship.  “Her contributions have been invaluable,” he said.

On February 3rd , Seton Hall held the 33rd annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day recognition.  A luncheon was held for the honorees, representing high schools and colleges throughout the state.  The honorees received certificates from the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports and had their pictures taken.  The association supports equality in sports and the empowerment of female athletes to excel at their sports.

In commenting on why Timoney was chosen to represent West Morris Mendham High School, Kertesz noted her strengths as an athlete. “The fact that Megan shows up every day, puts forth a solid effort every day, is what makes her stand out.  Megan ran her best time as a freshman.  She battled setbacks over the past two seasons.  She never let it get her down or cause her to quit.  Instead, she returned this year for her best season since she was a freshman,” he said.

The theme of this year’s Girls and Women in Sports Day was “Lead Her Forward”. The theme refers to the way sports allow females to excel and realize their potential.

Timoney reflected on being recognized by her high school and what inspires her to excel as an athlete. “Being named Female Athlete of the Year for my high school was a huge honor. Going to the event allowed me to get a new perspective and deeper appreciation for the women who began the struggle to increase women’s participation in sports, which is something that female athletes today might not even think about. I would say my teammates are the main inspiration for me, since we all push each other to be better and run faster.  Having a close group of girls like that makes me work harder to be able to try and help the team as much as possible.”