COACH'S GAME BALL: Aquila Jones

Winston-Salem State Head Cross Country Coach Inez Turner chose Aquila Jones as the recipient of this issue's Game Ball.

Jones, a 5-foot-6-inch junior from Pennsauken, N.J., is already one of the top runners for Winston-Salem State and is still improving.

"She came back this year determined and in good shape," Turner said.

"She has made big improvements this year and has PR'd [ran a personal best] in almost all of her meets."

Turner said Jones carries herself well and that she is a hard worker.

"She's gutsy and humble," she said.

"She gets out there and trains hard to get her body ready for competition."

According to Turner, Jones' mentality and approach has had a big impact on her teammates.

"She is really pushing her team when it comes to training," she said.

"She's a leader and a role model. She motivates her teammates very well."

Jones is a successful runner as well as an outstanding student. She is a representative of the WSSU cross country team on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The SAAC is an organization that selects student-athletes and brings them together to teach them leadership skills. She is majoring in studio art and has a 3.8 GPA.

"You never have to worry about her on the course or in the classroom," Turner said.

"She's truly a balanced student-athlete, and that's rare."

Q: When did you start running cross country?

A: I started in middle school. I ran a Turkey Trot, which is a two-mile race around Thanksgiving for a turkey. I won, and so my mom introduced me to cross country.

Q: What's your favorite part about cross country?

A: I've always been a distance runner. I don't have a favorite part. I just like to run in general.

Q: What's your PR and what are you hoping to get it down to?

A: I actually ran a 19:02 (5K) this year. Me and Coach Turner are hoping that I can get to 18 minutes by the end of the season.

Q: Do you have any pre-race routines?

A: I always listen to music. I like to listen to Drake before I run. I also pray with my team.

Q: What person in your life do you look up to most?

A: I look up to my mom. She raised me and taught me everything I know. I feel like she is the reason I run because she introduced me to it and I fell in love with it. She has a big part in me doing this.