Lila VanHoveln is a returning runner on the Penn Girls Varsity Cross Country team. Lila previously switched her main sport (freshman year) from volleyball to cross country when she made the varsity team. She is starting her sophomore year season off to a great start with an open mind and determination to reach her goals.
Who or what motivates you to push yourself while running?
¨My mom because she’s hard working and it pushes me to be like her.¨
What is your best time, and how did it feel to have accomplished it?
¨19:25 is my best time, it was over this past weekend, it felt very rewarding because it meant all of my hard work over the summer had paid off.¨
How is being a student athlete treating you as a sophomore?
¨It can be hard sometimes, but finding a good balance between both school, and cross country has made me be successful. ¨
What is your plan after you graduate?
¨My plan is to go to college in Indiana, and then major in psychology, and eventually be a child therapist or a social worker¨
Did anything exciting happen to you this summer? What?
¨I got to go hiking, and also me and my family went white water rafting in Tennessee¨
Who is your biggest role model? How have they impacted your life?
¨Probably my parents, they push me to be better and are always there to support me through hard times.¨
What’s your favorite thing to do in celebration of a good race?
¨Eat a lot of junk food¨
What did it feel like switching from volleyball to cross country full time in high school?
¨It was a hard decision that I had to make, I still love to play volleyball for fun, but i´m glad I chose cross country because it gave me the opportunity to meet new people.¨
Do you have a motto you live by? If so what is it, and what does it mean to you?
¨If it does not challenge you, it won´t change you, my mom threw that quote at me one time and it has stuck ever since.¨
What is your favorite life experience?
“Cross country in middle school, because that is when I first experienced running and that is where it all started for me.¨
