Culver Academy's Alex Banfich, The Tribune's female athlete of the year, relaxes lake-side at her Pretty Lake home in Plymouth. Tribune Photo/MARCUS MARTER

AL LESAR
Tribune Columnist

PLYMOUTH -- Of all the natural talents Alex Banfich had when she was young, hand-eye coordination wasn't one of them.

Playing volleyball in the sixth grade was a mountain the native of Plymouth chose not to climb.

"All my friends were playing volleyball and I wasn't any good at that," Banfich said. "I knew I could run pretty fast, so I decided to try that."

Thus the birth of the most dominant female high school distance runner in Indiana today. From that humble beginning, Banfich -- who will be a senior at Culver Girls Academy in the fall -- has won back-to-back cross country state titles, along with back-to-back state crowns in the 3,200-meter track race. Her state track championship in the 1,600 meters earlier this month made up for last year's state runner-up finish.

That amazing list of accomplishments earned Banfich her second consecutive Tribune Female Athlete of the Year Award.

"I'm more aware of race strategies now than I ever was before," Banfich said. "I listen to my body more. I know how far I can push it."

Banfich's body told her to back off a couple months ago. The 3.9 student, who will be CGA's senior prefect in the fall, was visiting her sister in England over spring break when an unusual pain shot through her left knee. Banfich immediately called her coach Mike Chastain looking for advice.

She was told to take a week off, then see a doctor when she got home. Dr. Steve Simons, a distance runner himself, diagnosed the injury as a small muscle tear. More time off and a gradual resumption of workouts brought her back. Banfich ran in just three meets before the sectional, but was still ready for the challenge.

"We changed Alex's workouts to get her back," Chastain said. "Between the sectional and regional, her training level was as high as it was last year. Of course, her confidence level wasn't as high."

"It was a hard, slow process coming back, but every day I was feeling better -- just like my doctor and my coach said," Banfich said. "I started believing in myself when I saw what my workout times were. I'd run a lap in exactly the time I was trying for -- then the next, then the next."

Confidence finally caught up with conditioning and Banfich wasn't going to be denied at the state meet. She learned from her mistakes and bad last lap last year and won the 1,600. Then after a 3 1/2-hour break -- extended from an hour because of bad weather -- she successfully defended her title in the 3,200.

"I don't see myself as special," Banfich said. "I see myself as just another high school runner who's won a couple races."

"Alex can be one of the best runners in the nation if she puts her mind to it," Chastain said. "We're not training her to be the best she can be in high school. We're training her to be the best she can be at some point after high school."

Where that will be is still anyone's guess. Banfich shyly smiles about where she might want to run in college, not offering any clues or timetables about where or when she might decide. "We're trying to get her in the big (national) meets," Chastain said. "The more she runs in, the better she's able to handle situations when things change."

"I've never run a perfect race," Banfich said. "After every race, I've come away looking at things I could have done differently and handled better. I think there's a perfect race out there; at least, I hope there is. I don't know if I'll ever be able to run it, but it always gives me something to work toward."

Better than trying to smack a ball over a net any day.