ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON https://spotted.iupui.edu/
Running is all Sabrina Elder has known since she was 10 years old. As high school graduation was approaching, she realized she wasn't ready to hang up her running shoes just yet. Instead, Elder became determined to run at the collegiate level. But finding a Division 1 school that saw her as more than just an athlete proved to be a difficult journey.
Then she found IUPUI.
Coach Tony McDaniel reached out to Elder, and she was blown away by his passion for building a team of athletic, smart and dedicated women. McDaniel had a different approach to recruiting than other schools did.
"I would look at other schools, and they would tell me I had to score a certain number at meets to consider giving me a scholarship," Elder said. "Tony was very straightforward about everything, and you could tell he really cared about me as an athlete and as a person before he knew how well I was going to do as a runner."
With her heart set on running at IUPUI -- while majoring in exercise science -- Elder was beyond excited for her future. But leaving everything behind in Belvidere, Ill. and transiting into a new lifestyle at college was harder than she expected.
"I am super close with my family and moving away was very different for me," she said. "I am a perfectionist, and there are a lot of things that aren't going to be perfect when you are with a new team, and you are navigating college classes."
For a while, her freshman year was rocky. With a very small incoming freshmen class of runners on the cross country and track teams, it was difficult making friends, along with balancing a schedule that allowed little free time.
"I would wake up, have practice, go see the trainer, hurry, go to my apartment, eat and then go to class," she said. "I was also surrounded by some girls on the track team, so it was hard to make friends with varying schedules."
Elder knew that if she wanted to make the most of her time at IUPUI, she would have to put herself out there. She took initiative and made an effort to become friends with the other freshmen on the team. She even joined a bible study group.
"I have gotten way more used to being here in general," she said. "I have such a great group of friends and community, and a lot of mentors too that I know that I can go to."
Since taking charge of her college experience, Elder has worked incredibly hard in cross country and track and has proven to be a leader. In her senior year, she was appointed captain of the cross country team.
"My teammates have really made me gain confidence and come out of my comfort zone a little bit," she said. "I think I am a better person, captain and athlete because of that."
Running aside, IUPUI is helping Elder achieve her long-term goal of going to school to become a physical therapist. Both the School of Health and Human Sciences and her academic advisor helped her write a resume and provided her with valuable networking opportunities.
"There is a lot of variety [in my major] and some of my classes would have guest speakers come in that were physical therapists," she said. "I got to see a lot of options on what I could possibly do in the field."
Elder is looking forward to completing an internship in the spring that will set her up for applying to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.
"We are given the opportunity our senior year to intern," she said. "IUPUI already has a long list of approved sites, so that was really helpful. They have people you can reach out to and even if you don’t end up interning there, you can possibly shadow or network through those people."
As Elder plans her future in physical therapy, she hopes to keep running because of her love for the sport.
"I definitely want to run a few half marathons," she said. "Running is something I enjoy, not just do."
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