All-Heart of America Athletic Conference runner LaTasha Roberts has managed to balance a winning track career with participation in school and multiple campus organizations.
Now a senior, Roberts was recruited for the track team as a freshman and has been running all four years of her time at Baker.
“Track is the core sport for all sports, so having a track team is the foundation of all sports,” Roberts said.
She said her goal as a freshman was to improve her skills and not to become an athlete who declined after high school. She said as a senior she has seen the results of good training and coaching, and her goals this year are to continue to become a bigger, stronger, faster competitor.
Head coach Rob Mallinder said he has worked with Roberts since 2003 when he recruited her for the team.
“She is a conscientious person who always puts others in front of herself,” Mallinder said.
Mallinder said Roberts’ athletic accolades include representing the university at nationals numerous times, being All-conference every year in indoor sprints, being nominated as MVP on two occasions and being the second-fastest outdoor sprinter in Baker University history.
“LaTasha is the emphasis of a team player,” Mallinder said. “She will do anything to help the team.”
Professor of Mass Media and Communication Susan Emel worked with Roberts as part of forensics and speech choir. Roberts is very competitive and talented, Emel said.
“For competitions, LaTasha is very dependable and she also does a good bit of research as all team members are required to do,” Emel said.
Roberts’ numerous awards for forensics include placing second in prose competition at Central Missouri State University in fall 2006 and a score of excellent at a national competition in 2005, Emel said. Roberts also read the scripture for the inauguration of University President Pat Long.
“LaTasha worked on the speech for President Long’s inauguration and practiced really hard,” Emel said. “I thought she did a great job.”
Roberts has held multiple positions in her sorority, Phi Mu, and is a biology major with a speech communication minor. Roberts said she enjoys the challenge that biology brings, and she really likes the professors.
“I have a lot of options because I have a strong background in speech communication,” Roberts said. “I want to take what I have learned in college and apply it to my career.”
Before this indoor season began, Roberts suffered a contusion to her hip, forcing her to sit out the season so far. After a doctor’s visit today, Roberts said she will find out for sure if she will be able to begin running next week.