SPIRE Academy is excited to welcome Annie McDonald, a dual sport athlete, to its Track & Field and Basketball programs. Growing up in Santa Barbara, CA, McDonald tried out a variety of sports, but ended up focusing on basketball and track and field, each for very different reasons. 

“I was better at track, but loved the game of basketball more,” said McDonald. “I loved the ebb and flow of it. And being a team sport, it fed my competitive energy. Track is a more individual sport, of course, but it plays strongly into my identity and really feeds my self-confidence.”

Attending SPIRE as a dual athlete—balancing two sports and a rigorous load of academics—is challenging, but McDonald is no stranger to such things. Halfway through her sophomore year of high school, she tore her ACL and meniscus playing basketball. She made the tough decision to have surgery, taking her out of the game—and out of her identity—for more than six months. As a result, she had to relearn how to use her body as an athlete and is still working through the mental aspects of the injury and subsequent surgery. The good news is, SPIRE staff are eager to help. The school is doing everything it can to help her fit in all the required academics along with the sports, including letting her attend a class online. But perhaps most importantly, SPIRE staff see in her the kind of person who can keep everything in her now very busy life balanced.

“Annie is an incredible young woman who embraces every challenge,” said Krista Philips, Management Consultant, Women’s Basketball. “Despite facing adversity, she’s committed herself as a dual sport athlete in both basketball and track. Her kindness and maturity truly set her apart, making her not only a great teammate but also a fiercely determined competitor. Her dedication is remarkable and will no doubt see her through. We’re fortunate to have her here.”

SPIRE came to the attention of McDonald via her older sister, also a track and field athlete, who attended a SPIRE camp and thought enough of the experience to recommend SPIRE for its Academy program. McDonald’s sister, currently running track for the University of Hawaii, was attending IMG Academy at the time. McDonald notes, “My sister loved her experience at SPIRE. She loved the coaches and the environment. She liked the fact that it’s smaller than IMG, and said you could tell SPIRE was a place where the staff and the coaches genuinely care.” 

McDonald has competed in the Junior Olympics twice, in Javelin, Discus and Shot Put. This past summer, she was selected to play on a basketball team in Europe, and only met her teammates once she got to the airport. It was the first time playing basketball since her surgery. She hopes to continue on her path as a dual sport collegiate athlete, but for now she’s excited to compete at SPIRE. She calls track practices the “highlight of her week,” the small group of fellow throwers “incredibly supportive,” and feels the basketball team is really starting to play as a focused unit. She also says she’s ready to take responsibility for any successes or failures at SPIRE, though staff don’t seem particularly concerned about the latter of those two. 

“I’m extremely excited to have Annie in our Track & Field program this year,” said Tim Mack, Development Director and Head Coach, Vertical and Horizontal Jumps. “Along with being a dual sport athlete, she’s also the first female thrower in our program. She’s a hard worker, extremely talented and driven, but still very coachable. We’re thankful she chose to do both sports. Annie is yet another important student athlete on this growing team.” Overseeing her throwing is Coach Michael Larkin, a new addition to the program. “I’m very excited to work with her to achieve and compete at the highest levels of the sport. Having worked with dual sport athletes throughout my career I’m glad to pursue this opportunity and have Annie excel both on the court and in the field.”

But for all that SPIRE can do to accommodate McDonald’s desire to play two sports simultaneously, it ultimately comes down to her and her mindset, to not take no for an answer. “Don’t let anyone get in your head about your decision,” she says. “There’s going to be a lot of noise, people pulling you in different directions. But whether it’s two sports, one sport or whatever, remember: it’s your journey. At the end of day you have to do what feels right for you.”