In the Mattox household, the awards, plaques and trophies are not displayed in one place.
Instead, Kate Mattox, older sister Walker and younger sister Caroline have their own accumulation of honors. Perhaps one day when the four children (including younger sister Libby) have all left home, there will be a shrine created.
For now, the obsession is collecting t-shirts.
“Our parents like to get t-shirts from the races and create quilts,” Kate Mattox said. “That’s the big thing right now. That is the obsession. It’s a fun way to look back at all of the races we have participated in and some of the accomplishments that we have had.”
For the Mattox family, the awards keep coming in. Presently a senior at Starkville High School, Kate Mattox was recently chosen as the Gatorade Cross County female performer of the year, given to the state’s top cross country runner each year.
“That’s a big accomplishment for Kate,” Starkville cross country coach Caroline Woomer said. “It’s a big accomplishment for our program. The (Mattox) girls are tight and they have always pushed each other to do some great things.”
Walker Mattox is a sophomore member of the cross country team at the University of North Alabama. Caroline Mattox is a sophomore and runs with Kate Mattox on the cross country and track teams at Starkville.
“Having sisters there for motivation and guidance has been great,” Kate Mattox said. “Running is 12 months out of the year if you want to be at the top of your game. Sometimes, when you don’t feel like putting that extra work in, it is great to have that influence. Both of my sisters are always pushing me and motivating me. It’s competitive. It’s also fun. We really push each other and I think we bring out the best in each other.”
When Walker Mattox went out for track in seventh grade, it was the start of a family dynasty. Kate Mattox quickly took a liking to watching her sister perform. The bond for the two was strong on the track.
“Being able to compete with my sister has been one of the greatest things to happen to me,” Walker Mattox said. “The Lord has blessed us with this unique situation. We do everything in His honor. The love and support of my family has helped tremendously, too. We have a lot of fun with this. You have to put a lot of hard work into it. However, you see the fruits of that labor. It pays off in the end.”
Walker Mattox turned her championship high school career into a scholarship offer from UNA. Kate Mattox has now followed a similar path, having signed with the University of Southern Mississippi.
“It was a tough decision between several really good schools,” Kate Mattox said. “Fortunately, my parents and sisters were there for encouragement and support. I am looking forward to the next chapter and competing in college. My sister has really enjoyed her experience, so I am looking forward to the same.”
Caroline Mattox has watched the recruitment of each of her older sisters carefully. She has learned so much from old her older sisters and is glad they share this bond.
“This has been incredible experience,” Caroline Mattox said. “We all push each other to do some great things. We really help each other be the best that we can be. Summer can be relaxing. It’s nice to have sisters that get you up off your feet and make sure you stay on task. We each set our own individual goals and they are our support system to help reach them.”
Kate Mattox has won the Gatorade award four straight years. She entered the high school track season with six state championships. The focus now is to finish strong and to make the most of her final months of high school competition.
“Our coaches have worked really hard with me over the years,” Kate Mattox said. “When I entered high school, my goal was to be the player of the year in the state. I have been blessed by God with this opportunity. I have also appreciative of my teammates who have been pushing me. They have always had my back. In track, most of the events are individual but you really rely on your teammates to push you to another level.”
When competing against personal best times and other competition, the main thing driven home is adversity and learning how to battle back.
“The season started off stronger than expected,” Kate Mattox said. “At the end of the season, I was disappointed in that I wasn’t reaching the times I had set. In indoor track, things were a lot better. I saw a lot of improvement and really felt like I had that competitive edge back.
“Now, we are in the outdoor season and trying to win some more state championships. It is bittersweet that this will be my last year with my teammates.”
In the indoor season, Kate Mattox set new personal best times against indoor competition. Her main events are the 3200M and 1600M.
“The main thing I have learned is to let go of the frustrations (of sub-standard meets) and use that as motivation,” Kate Mattox said. “The competition is always exciting. When we switched to indoor season, it was good to have some new competition. We competed in some meets in Alabama and that competition realty motivated me.
“It has carried over to the outdoor season where I am trying to finish up strong and win additional championships.”
The t-shit collection will also grow, too.
Scott Walters is a sports reporter for the Commercial Dispatch. He may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @dispatchscott.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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