One OHS Warrior has been honored for her athletic prowess. Emma Grantges, 12th grade, has been named “Hotshot of the Week” by the Tampa Bay Times. However, Emma was unaware that she had even been nominated; she first found out on Twitter. “I was totally surprised,” Emma said of receiving the Hotshot of the Week award. “I didn’t know anything about it.”
Despite the skill and talent Emma has shown in cross-country this year, in the beginning of the season she was quite unsure if she’d enjoy the sport.

Emma was previously (and continues to be) on the track team, and she was not used to the long distances involved in cross-country. Emma said Coach Eagleson had wanted her to join cross-country, but her prior commitment to volleyball prevented her from joining cross-country (both cross-country and volleyball are fall sports). However, when a new coach allowed Emma to join cross-country while still being part of volleyball, Emma signed up.
Emma credits her team for supporting and helping her in cross-country. However, she is also thankful to Coach Eagleson for his assistance. “He made sure I had the best shoes and was in best shape,” Emma said. Coach Eagleson, understanding Emma’s multiple commitments, even allowed her to occasionally miss track practice.
Out of all her cross-country moments this year, Emma said she was most proud of performance at the Jim Ryun Open. “I got third out of 30 schools,” Emma explained. The Tampa Bay Times reports that Emma had a time of 20 minutes and 27.40 seconds at the Jim Ryun Open, a time which made her among the Osceola team’s best runners at the meet.
When asked if she had any advice for students interested in trying cross-country, Emma told them to “definitely go for it.” “But make sure to drink plenty of water,” Emma added, “and be prepared for practice. Stay motivated.”