DIANA — Robin, Brad and Brent Beckham are making news today with their feet. They may make news in the future riding horses.
What they do with their feet has produced cross country success, first at Gilmer, then this fall at New Diana. Robin is in the sunset of her high-school cross country career. The senior is making her fourth trip to regionals, and will run at 10:50 a.m. Saturday at the Region III Class 2A Meet at Lone Star College in Houston. She will attempt to qualify for state for the second time, advancing to the UIL State Championships previously in 2007 when she attended Gilmer.
Michael Cavazos/News-Journal Photo |
Brothers and sister, from left, Brad, Robin and Brent Beckham of New Diana are among the area's regional cross country meet qualifiers.
|
Brad and Brent Beckham, who are twins, are at the dawn of their cross country careers. Brad won the individual title at the District 18-2A meet last week while Brent placed fifth, They led New Diana to an 18-2A team title.
Despite all this success, distance running may be a secondary sport for the Beckhams.
"If we chose a favorite between running and rodeo, it would probably be rodeo," Robin said. "We like running and rodeo. They both help each other."
In rodeo competitions, Robin is a barrel racer while Brad and Brent compete together in team roping. It came naturally. Their father Wade has worked on a ranch. Working near their father also provided ex post facto training in running.
"We have worked with colts and you have run them in circles," Brent said. "You have to run along right beside them."
While there is a three-year age difference between the twins and their big sister, the start of their running careers are similar.
Robin said she competed in a fun run at Gilmer Junior High School in the seventh grade and was encouraged by coaches to take up distance running. The twins didn't pick it up right away, but they were entertained by their sister.
"It's fun watching Robin run, and watching her lap people on a track," Brad said.
Brad said they watched Gilmer cross country teams run when they were in the seventh grade and they decided to join in, although their reasons were different from their sister.
"The teams would go to pools and run in place in the water. That seemed like a lot of fun," Brad said. "They got food too."
The Beckhams live about a 15-minute drive from Gilmer and a 10-minute drive from Diana. The Beckhams attended Gilmer because their mother — Teresa — was a teacher in the Gilmer ISD. Robin said they transferred to New Diana because they put in more work for rodeo as well as interests in agriculture as members of the Future Farmers of America (FFA).
All three Beckhams said running has helped their rodeo skills. Robin said just being in better shape is good for barrel racing. Brent said he and his brother both weigh about 140 pounds, but is uncertain whether they need to gain about 10 pounds of muscle for rodeo purposes.
"You need strength to flip over calves," Brent said. "But for the horse, balance in roping and tying, you need strength in your legs too. Running gives you that."
New Diana coach David Schubert said he is confident the Beckhams have the ability to make to the UIL State Championships, which will be held Nov. 14 in Round Rock. The top three teams and top 10 individuals at Saturday's region meet advance to state.
Schubert said Robin can place in the top 10 even though she is coming off a fourth-place finish in the District 18-2A Meet on Oct. 26 in Big Sandy. Schubert said Robin finished behind 18-2A individual champion Sydney Hamm of White Oak for the first time in five meets this season.
Schubert said Brad also has top-10 potential, but Brent could have a more difficult time because he suffered a hip-flexor injury this season, resuming running three weeks ago. Schubert said the New Diana boys team — which includes Garrett Mayeaux, Patrick Gilbreath, Lane Duncan, Logan Loyd and Cody Wager — has the potential to make state as a team.
After this weekend or the next, Robin's cross country career may continue. She said she has received recruiting interest from Lon Morris College, which appeals to her because she can compete in rodeo as well. She has also received interest from Northeast Texas Community College. For a long-term career, Robin said she would like to be a dental hygienist. Brad said he would like to be a chiropractor, while Brent said he is not sure what career he would like to pursue yet.
Robin said she and her twin brothers are prepared if this weekend ends their time of running cross country together, or if it's next week. Besides, their time in rodeo may only be starting.
"We hope we can make state, but we're not expecting it. All we can do is the best we can and expect to do good," Robin said. "We'll let the chips fall as they may."
