Erik Boal
GLENDALE -- Hoover High School distance runner Anita Siraki already
has one national title to her credit, winning the two-mile event at the
Foot Locker High School Track and Field National Championships June 16 in
Raleigh, N.C.
On Saturday in Orlando, Fla., the 17-year-old will seek her second
national crown -- her first in cross-country -- when she competes in the
Foot Locker Cross-Country National Championships at 10:40 a.m. EST.
The two-time defending California Interscholastic Federation-State
Division I champion is making her second appearance at the cross-country
national finals, following a fourth-place finish on the 5,000-meter
course at Oak Trail Golf Course at Shades of Green in 1999.
Those accomplishments, along with others too numerous to list, have
established Siraki as one of the nation's premier student-athletes.
"When I think of all that Anita has accomplished, I'm reminded of the
rich history that Glendale has in track and field and cross-country,"
Glendale Unified School District Supt. Jim Brown said.
"She has all the potential to be part of an elite group of athletes,
some of which have gone on to compete in the Olympics. She is one of the
most outstanding young athletes I have met in my 35 years of education."
The praise and attention bestowed upon Siraki since she was a
sophomore have been welcomed with humility.
"The success hasn't gotten to her," Hoover High Co-principal Kevin
Welsh said. "She remains involved in a lot of school activities and she's
always been very humble."
Siraki's success also has helped the student body at Hoover turn a
corner after being dealt a few serious blows with the deaths of
classmates toward the end of the 1999-2000 school year.
"When we were down, Anita picked us up," Welsh said. "When Hoover had
some dark clouds visit us, she gave us some positives to look to."
Her efforts have not only influenced her school in a positive manner,
but also allowed the community to rally around a common goal.
When Siraki competed in the Track and Field National Championships in
June, many Glendale residents made donations to the school's running
program on her behalf in an effort to help finance her trip to North
Carolina.
"We got so many nice notes from people genuinely excited about
supporting one of the best high school athletes the city of Glendale has
ever produced," said Hoover Coach Greg Switzer, who runs the
cross-country and track and field programs.
"We raised more than $1,000 for track, but Anita will be running many
