KUTZTOWN, PA (October 22, 2009) - Trying to keep up with senior Cheryl Dingman (Lansdale/North Penn) is like running in a marathon. Her days are long and never ending.

She’s co-captain of the women’s cross-country team, a member of the indoor/outdoor track teams and a full-time art education student. As if that weren’t enough of a mouthful to describe in the midst of her hectic schedule, Dingman is also student teaching and preparing for a December graduation.

A standout student-athlete, Dingman says when it came time to student teach this semester, she wasn’t ready to put away her running shoes just yet.

“For me, I knew that student teaching didn’t mean I had to drop cross-country my senior year,” Dingman said. “Obviously student teaching comes first, but cross-country is still very important to me. I knew that this semester would take a lot of prioritizing, but I knew I could do both.”

Prioritizing includes less sleep, more studying on the weekends, and focusing more on designing lesson plans than relaxing. As for practicing, she relies on herself to set her own practice times.

“Because I’m in the art education program, I’m spending this semester student teaching, I can’t always practice with the team, due to time conflicts so Coach (Ray Hoffman), trusts me to workout on my own and prepare myself for upcoming meets,” Dingman said. “I’m lucky coach realizes the attention my major requires, but he knows the dedication I have towards this sport.”

Cross-country was not Dingman’s first love. 

“Since I was seven years old, I was a competitive swimmer, “Dingman said. “Then, when I was in fifth grade, I realized I wasn’t growing as fast as the other teammates. I was a midget with no muscle.” 

Dingman found track almost by mistake. During a sixth grade fitness test, she ran the 600-meter race. 

“I beat out everyone, even the boys,” Dingman said. “My gym teacher was so impressed he told me about a track team in the church’s Catholic Youth Organization (CYO). I immediately joined.”

Dingman became a two-sport athlete in junior high, competing in track and swimming. 

“In ninth grade went to the first swim practice of high school and realized it just wasn’t for me anymore,” Dingman said. “I left that first meeting and walked right into cross-country. Running is my true calling.”

Which is why she couldn’t just put down her running shoes for her last eligible season.

“It’s insane, I can’t lie about that. I don’t even have time to stop and think about everything I’m doing,” Dingman laughs. “I just keep plugging away. December graduation is closer than I have time to even realize.”

Before walking across the stage in two months, Dingman would like to be able to compete one last time in the post season.

“Our regular season ends this weekend, so this last meet mean everything to us,” Dingman said.

According to the latest rankings released on Tuesday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the Golden Bears are second in the Atlantic Region rankings this past week and 17th in the national rankings for Division II. 

The previous two meets helped Kutztown become nationally ranked. The Golden Bears’ Oct. 2 performance at the Paul Short Invitational on Goodman Campus of Lehigh University resulted in a first place finish. The team broke their team record and several women set new individual best times. Last weekend, on Oct. 17 at the Lafayette Leopard Invitational, the team finished second overall, placing five women within the top 15.

The Golden Bears finish their regular season on Saturday Oct. 24 at the Nevins Invitational at East Stroudsburg University. The PSAC Championships are slated for Saturday Oct. 31 at Edinboro University

--KU--