BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
DONNA — After missing almost all of her freshman season due to injury, Donna North’s I’Dasha Sorrell was hesitant to join the track and field team this season.
She participated only in the district meet in 2014, failing to qualify for the finals in the 100-meter hurdles. At first, she didn’t see why she’d have any more success in Year 2.
But at the urging of her mother, Aide, and coach Roy Corpus Jr., I’Dasha decided to give it a shot. She quickly proved herself as one of the Valley’s best and most versatile athletes, thriving in five events. She finished second in the long jump and triple jump at the District 32-5A meet, and today she’ll compete for district titles in the 100-meter dash, 200 dash and 400 relay. All following preseason thoughts of ditching the sport entirely.
“It was very hard, I kind of had a mental breakdown,” I’Dasha said. “I really didn’t want to join track, because I thought I had no chance. But when I got out and did my first meet, I told myself that I do have it. I have the potential. The more I practice, and the more I get into it, I will come along.”
Practice time was not a luxury I’Dasha had last season. During North’s third-to-last district basketball game, against Mercedes, I’Dasha said she was pushed from behind as she was attempting a layup, and “my ankle just kind of snapped.”
She suffered cracks low on her fibula and tibia, which required three or four months of rehab. At first, the pain was so severe that she said she missed three or four days of class. I’Dasha’s rehab work included bands, biking and exercises in a pool. She wore a cast for about two months, then switched to heavy wraps and tape. She was also on medication for pain and swelling.
“I kind of pushed myself through the pain,” I’Dasha said.
She was cleared just two days before the district meet, and clipping the last of the 100 hurdles was enough to keep her out of the finals.
Once track was over, I’Dasha played with the Valley Heat volleyball team, then returned to North for a second season of volleyball and basketball. I’Dasha is a three-sport athlete, just as her mother was at Brownsville Porter.
When basketball finished, I’Dasha decided not just to come back to track, but to do so at full throttle. She said juggling five events is a “very tiring” routine, one that forces her to alternate between “field days” and “track days” at practice. For I’Dasha, just getting down to five events has been her biggest challenge this season.
“I had to choose between the 100 hurdles or the 200, and I chose the 200 only because I ran that also in my seventh- and eighth-grade year. It makes me faster, and gets me ready for the 100-meter dash.”
Handling such a heavy workload can be a challenge, especially for someone who is only a sophomore. But coach Corpus knows I’Dasha is up to the task.
“She’s still young, but I know she can handle it,” Corpus said. “She’s a tough young lady, and I know she can handle the pressure. She’ll be all right.”
The 100 has been I’Dasha’s strong point this year, as she ranks third among Valley girls with a mark of 12.08. Her goal is to get that time down into the 11-second range, which would give her a better chance to beat her district rival from PSJA High, Valerie Mancha, who holds the Valley’s second-best time in the 100 at 11.98 seconds.
Whether I’Dasha can hit that mark this season or not, Corpus believes she has the potential to someday make it to state.
“We’re trying to get to that state level, but we have to go step by step,” Corpus said. “She is a very young and very developed young lady, where I know she can excel.”