Valentina Martinez is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Corona del Sol High School for AZPreps365.com.

One of the hardest decisions to make as an athlete is knowing when to walk away. Senior Dalee Higgins left her seven-year competitive gymnastics career and sought new opportunities in high school athletics. 

She is now the No. 2 runner on the Corona del Sol cross country team in her first year as a runner. 

After returning home from a routine gymnastics practice her sophomore year of high school, Higgins went out on the patio to inform her mom that she believed it was time for her to retire from the sport she had competed in for almost half of her life. 

“I remember the exact moment,” Higgins said. “I decided that I was satisfied with what I had done. It wasn’t worth the tears, the frustration, the stress anymore.”

She wasn’t ready to leave the people or the sport; however, her body felt differently. The first three months of her retirement were extremely difficult for Higgins as well as her mom, Jennifer Higgins. Dalee Higgins begged her mom to return to gymnastics because she believed she had made the wrong decision.

“I think one of the best things you can do for your kid is when they do struggle, allow the struggle and process,” Jennifer Higgins said. 

She believed her daughter needed time to heal and although Dalee Higgins didn’t know it, both of them struggled emotionally throughout the process. Jennifer Higgins held back tears in front of her daughter and would wait until she was in her room before she would let them out. 

“I’m super grateful that she was able to help me hold on to that decision,” Higgins said.

Jennifer Higgins wanted to teach her daughter to “stay focused on solutions” and that is exactly what she did. 

Higgins entered the world of high school athletics as a junior. All she had previously known was the routine of school and club gymnastics. She quickly began a new chapter of her athletic career by leaving her leotard behind and exchanging it for a swimsuit. Higgins joined the dive team at Corona because she felt she’d be able to transition easiest from gymnastics to diving; however, she learned that landing on her head versus landing on her feet was a completely different process.

At one particular diving competition, Higgins was forced out of her comfort zone since one of the dives she was set to perform was incorrectly written. Her two options were to either attempt the double front flip or drop out of the competition. 

Higgins broke down crying, fearful of the dive that many times ended with her landing on her face and back in practice. Despite her anxiety, she decided to attempt the dive and the result was the best double front flip she’d ever done.

“You are capable of more than you realize sometimes,” Higgins said. “It was another challenge and it definitely taught me more about myself.” 

In the spring of her junior year, Higgins joined the Corona track team. Higgins and her coaches discovered that running long distance was where she would thrive best, as opposed to her original role as a sprinter. 

After about a month of track and field, the coronavirus halted Higgins’ progress. 

As a senior, Higgins is currently a part of the cross country team, dance team as well as the pom line at Corona. She also plans to run track in the spring. 

“I kind of figured I had to make up for freshman and sophomore year since I didn’t start participating in high school sports until my junior year,” Higgins said. 

Higgins believes her gymnastics career was the foundation her athletic abilities were built on. After constantly training for 25-30 hours a week, gymnastics also taught Higgins to remain disciplined. 

Jennifer Higgins speaks highly of her daughter’s dedication. She explained that there are several circumstances Dalee Higgins is unable to control as an athlete; however, one thing she is able to control is her work ethic. 

Although Higgins is a senior, this is her rookie season as a cross country runner. Despite being a neophyte runner, her personal record is 20:31, which is in the top 30 best times out of all Division 1 senior girls in the state. 

With each race, Higgins experiences pure elation and reduced stress. Higgins chuckled as she said many people call it a “runner’s high.” 

She shared that she favors cross country because the outcome of the race is in her control, unlike gymnastics and diving where judges subjectively gave her scores. 

“Nobody cares what I look like,” Higgins said. “It’s all about who crosses the finish line first.”

Higgins started training as a runner for the first time in March. It was during quarantine when she discovered that running could be used as an outlet. 

Jennifer Higgins was infected with the coronavirus in July. She immediately isolated herself in one part of the house, while Dalee Higgins and her dad remained on the other side. Higgins described the two weeks as “extremely scary” and she relied on running to be her stress reliever during that tough time. 

The philosophy of “there’s always room for one more” has been instilled in Higgins. As a leader on the Corona cross country team, she focuses on ensuring everyone feels welcome on the team. 

“She tries to make everyone comfortable no matter what level they’re at on the team,” head coach Brian Crane said.

From seven years of competitive gymnastics to Corona athletics, Higgins has found her niche as the No. 2 runner on the Corona del Sol cross country team.

“It’s the best decision I could have ever made,” Higgins said.