MORRILTON — Morrilton Intermediate School student LaMya Pruitt said she realized a couple of years ago that she could run fast.
“In elementary, I used to race at recess, and I always beat everybody,” she said.
That speed qualified the 11-year-old for the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics from July 26-Aug. 5. in Detroit.
A member of Team Elite Track Club, a nonprofit organization, LaMya qualified at the AAU regionals in Joplin, Missouri, in June to compete in the 4x100, the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash.
Her mother, LaKeisha Williams of Morrilton, said LaMya plays soccer, softball and basketball in the Morrilton city leagues, plus runs track on the AAU team.
“She was always [saying], ‘Momma, I want to run track.’ In Morrilton, you can’t run track till seventh grade,” Williams said.
Williams met someone whose son participated on an AAU team, and LaMya joined Team Elite late in the season last year.
“This year is her first year to experience the entire [season] and attend regionals. It was really exciting,” Williams said.
The team trains at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway two to three times a week, Williams said, adding that LaMya is the only Morrilton team member and the only female her age on the team.
LaMya’s coach, Jessica Chandler of Conway, said that when LaMya first joined the team, she had to be talked into running and training.
“LaMya came in last year, and she was my person who was kind of hard; it was a struggle to get her to run. She would say, ‘I’m tired, I’m tired,’” Chandler said. “Her mom was like, ‘Hey, coach, she’s yours — you do what you have to do to get her.’ I got into her mind. I said, ‘If you really want to run track, you’re going to have to run hard and practice.’”
Chandler said the team competed in weekend meets, and LaMya improved.
“She started taking in what I said and doing great,” Chandler said. “This season, she’s been wonderful. Oh, my goodness, a complete turnaround. She’s been the athlete anyone would ever want.”
The coach said LaMya set personal records every track meeting.
“That comes from her hard work ethic this year,” Chandler said.
She said that when LaMya gets to Detroit, she will run preliminary races, called qualifying finals, for her age group. If she has an overall qualifying time, she moves to the semifinals, where the top 16 continue to compete. The top-eight finishers according to time will qualify for the finals.
“She’d be the top eight in the nation to compete, so it’s a big deal,” Chandler said.
“It’s very fun to travel, but it’s expensive,” LaMya said.
The Williamses set up a GoFundMe page in LaMya’s name to fund her travel expenses and registration to the AAU Junior Olympics. LaKeisha said the hotel is $1,000 for a week, plus gas for the 14-hour drive to Detroit and other expenses. She works in the insurance business, and LaMya’s stepfather, Ocean Williams, is retired.
The couple said they want to do whatever they can to support their daughter’s talent.
Ocean Williams called LaMya “a born athlete.”
“She’s competitive, but we try to give her a little extra motivation, throw some ice cream in there or something,” he said, laughing.
LaKeisha said she knew when LaMya was about 3 years old she was going to be a gifted athlete.
“She is very active. She’s always just run, run, run,”
Williams said. A former basketball player, LaKeisha also ran track at Prescott High School, “but not like LaMya,” she said, laughing. LaKeisha said LaMya’s father, Devin Pruitt of Dallas, is athletic, too.
The Williamses have three other children: Terry, 16, who plays football at Morrilton High School; Jeremiah, 10, who plays football for a city league; and Lauren, 4.
“She’s trying to get me to let her play football, but I’m not ready for that,” LaKeisha said, laughing.
She described her daughter as “loving and full of energy.” She said LaMya has been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, “but she’s doing real well with that. Her teachers love her. She’s a sweetheart.”
LaMya, who will be in the sixth grade this fall, said that in addition to sports, she enjoys social studies and science.
Her goal is to be “a professional track runner,” she said.
A U.S. Olympian?
“Yes, ma’am,” LaMya said.
But first, she has to conquer the Junior Olympics.
“I expect her to do really well, I really do,” Chandler said. “I’m looking forward to her competing really well. She has the ability to do so.”
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.