Preview: Jillian Smith

"The Hill" prepares Southern Regional runners for big time meets - by Elliot Denman.

By Elliott Denman, National Scholastic Sports Foundation


When members of Coach Brian Zatorski’s girls track and field team at Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin, NJ get the word "we’re going to The Hill" for training sessions, many grimace, some shudder, a few invent urgent reasons to be elsewhere.

"The Hill" is about 350 meters of steady rise located on the otherwise pancake-flat area of Southern Regional’s home base in Ocean County.  Right there is Bruno’s, an Italian restaurant. To do "a Bruno" - running the length of "The Hill" - is an exercise in character-building. Strength and speed are vital side products, too, of course.
Love it or not, Zatorski’s runners have learned that mastering "The Hill" and doing "a Bruno" are critical ingredients in mastering everything else in their sport.

The top-end results have been eye-opening, and seem destined to continue for years.  One of Southern’s first big stars was Lauren Lewis, now concluding a standout career at the University of Arkansas.  Then