USA TODAY High School Sports Awards: Dominant Delaware sprinter Charlee Crawford embodies discipline, resilience

Entering her senior year at St. Georges Technical High School in Middletown, Delaware, sprinter Charlee Crawford had swept the girls 200- and 400-meters events at the Division I championships two of the last three years (the 2020 outdoor season was canceled because of COVID-19). 

Undeterred by the loss of the indoor season that was also canceled by the pandemic during her senior campaign, Crawford continued her dominance in May by again notching state meet wins in the 200m and 400m races and helping the Hawks to a third place finish. 

By virtue of her stellar farewell performance and exemplary high school career, Crawford has been named an honoree for the national USA TODAY High School Sports Awards show, presented by U.S. Polo Assn. The on-demand show will begin streaming on the show website, YouTube and the USA TODAY News and USA TODAY SportsWire channels on Roku, Tubi and most smart TVs Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern. 

More:Just announced: Here are the honorees for the national USA TODAY High School Sports Awards

"This past year has been crazy, obviously," said Crawford, who was also named the Delaware Girls Track and Field Player of the Year. "For track, it's been pretty easy finding an open track and being able to get workouts. For academics, it was hard transitioning to online learning, because we're just not used to that. But I think at the end of the day, I became a better person from it and it all worked out in the end."

St. Georges' head track and field coach Lansil Gordon said that while the year was difficult for the coaches, it was more so for the student-athletes. 

"We didn't have an indoor season, and it kind of set us back a lot as far as training the athletes and getting them prepared for the outdoor season," he said. "They had to adjust to doing things online or communicating with their friends outside of the classroom. And it limited the things they were doing in normal life."

Assistant Coach Latrelle Watkins said missing the indoor season and the prior spring season fostered a greater measure of resolve on behalf of the student-athletes. 

"So basically, they didn't run for a year," she said. "And in a state like Delaware, where our weather doesn't cooperate with us like Texas or Florida, missing a year of running can set you back a lot. They had more things on their plate and there was a lot more mental exercising to be done by our athletes this last season."

Gordon and Watkins pointed to the manner in which Crawford's discipline and resilience continuously manifested over the last year and a half, academically and athletically. Crawford, a Rutgers University signee, expressed gratitude. 

"I'm thankful for Coach Gordon and Coach Watkins," Crawford said. "The discipline was formed from my participation in gymnastics. I was training 19 hours a week. Being able to balance my school work and having a social life, it was a lot. And I enjoy putting in the work, supporting my teammates and finding different ways to reach goals." 

She also extended credit to her AAU coach, Nicholas Palka.

After competing in gymnastics for eight years, Crawford decided to concentrate solely on track and field at the beginning of her junior year. She encourages high school athletes to take time and embrace the experience. 

"Soak up every moment, because it goes by so fast," she said. "I know that so cliché to say high school goes by fast, but it really did. I still remember coming in freshman year and being the baby on the team. And this past year I was like the old person graduating. Train as hard as you can, because you never know what's going to happen."

When she isn't applying herself to academic and athletic pursuits, Crawford spends time volunteering with children. 

"I just love working with little kids," she said. "I've experienced a lot of things and like giving back. I always share with them the importance of focusing on school and setting goals."

With her high school endeavors now in the books, Crawford is ready for the next step.

"My whole track career I've been looking forward to the recruiting process and just picking a college," she said. "I decided to go to Rutgers because the coaches were really consistent. I got into the Honors College as well, which really helped out, because I wanted to go to a school where the academics were really important."