Naperville Central’s Casey Short will do her running on a soccer field this spring.
The senior, who won the 400- and 800-meter runs in the 2007 Class AA state track and field meet, said Tuesday she has decided to play soccer for the Redhawks.
“I really missed it,” said Short, a forward who has played club soccer the last two years while running track for the school. “It’s my senior year. I just wanted to focus on playing soccer before I go to college.”
Short has signed a letter of intent to play soccer for NCAA power Florida State. She leaves for Spain on Friday to play with the U.S. under-18 national team and is expected to return for Central’s match with defending state champion Waubonsie Valley on March 19.
Naperville Central was 8-10-2 in 2007.
Short would have been shooting for her third straight Class AA title in the 800. Her time of 2 minutes 10.87 seconds in 2006 is the fifth fastest in state finals history. As a junior she became the first Class AA girl to win the 400 and 800 in the same state meet.
“I just want to improve, I want to win a state championship,” Short said.
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