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The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

From speed to maturity: Pleasant Valley track runner has it all

Senior+Daniel+Degeorge+preps+for+his+final+season+at+Pleasant+Valley.
Daphne Long
Senior Daniel Degeorge preps for his final season at Pleasant Valley.

Spring sports heating up, and Pleasant Valley’s track team is off to a strong start this season. With multiple runners ranked top five in the MAC, and their hurdles team ranked first in the state, the rest of the season looks promising for the track team.

One runner in particular stands out from the rest: the 100 and 200 meter dash runner Danny DeGeorge. DeGeorge is currently ranked very highly in the 200 meter dash with a blazing time of 22.74.  Although his times are incredibly impressive, he is never looking to settle for the accomplishments he has achieved.

“The rankings show [my place], but it doesn’t matter until I actually run the race at the conference meet. In terms of emotions, it’s very exciting to see how much I’ve improved since last year,” DeGeorge said.

During DeGeorge’s freshman year, his best time in the 200 was 25.97. Four years later, he has dropped over three seconds in his premiere race, and he is looking forward to competing at Drake Relays this weekend.

“He has definitely made a lot of improvements not just as a runner but as a leader,” track coach Phillip George said. “Not only does he have one of the top 10 best times in the 200 meter dash in school history, but he is also doing a great job of leading his teammates in warmups and getting people ready for meets.”

DeGeorge often gets motivation from his family as they have a long history with track. His sister was an accomplished high jumper, and he wanted to continue his family’s line of success in the sport.

“In track, there is a perfect balance between individual success to motivate me and team success to help build great chemistry and a personal bond with the sport,” he said. This year, in order to prepare for the track season, DeGeorge decided to join cross country in order to stay in shape out of season.

“His motivation and hard work definitely shows,” said George. “It is nice to see his next level of commitment to the sport by joining cross country, and I think that his extra commitment has definitely helped him this year.”

This may be DeGeorge’s last year as a runner at Pleasant Valley, but the story is far from over for him. He is planning to continue running at Beloit College in Wisconsin in the fall. As the season continues to wrap up for the Spartans, DeGeorge will leave the program as a staple in Pleasant Valley track.

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Parker Paulson, News Editor
Parker Paulson is a Pleasant Valley Senior and currently serves as the Spartan Shield’s news editor. Parker can often be heard singing at Pleasant Valley Choir concerts. He is a member of Chamber Choir and the Leading Tones, and he has been selected for All State Choir the last three years. Parker is a swimmer on the Pleasant Valley Boys Swim Team and was selected as a team captain this year. He has qualified for the High School State Swim Meet all three years so far, and is planning on making it four this year. He is a co-founder of the PV Spikeball Club, and he is also a  member of the National Honors Society. His favorite classes are English and French. Outside of school, Parker swims for the local Piranhas Swim Club and also competes in piano competitions. Parker is a lifeguard at the Scott County Park Pool, and often works about 50 hours a week there over the summer. Obviously a very busy man, Parker cherishes every bit of free time that he can get. He spends this extra time swimming, lifting and hanging out with his friends. Next year, Parker is pursuing Criminology at Penn State University and is excited to spread valuable knowledge during his time with the Shield.
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  • K

    Kris BasnetApr 29, 2022 at 8:19 am

    This was a great article Parker! As a person who is friends with Danny it is nice to see how much hard work and of a leader his coaches value him as. I never knew Danny had a top ten time in school history this was very interesting to note.

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From speed to maturity: Pleasant Valley track runner has it all