Adeline Holder comes from a family of hard workers, so it’s only natural she works hard too.
Of course, having a strong relationship with a successful older sister helps.
The cross country athlete at Branson High School looks to her sister, Torri, for not only a chance to bond, but also a chance to improve.
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Adeline said, “Running with Torri has brought us even closer together and we’ve bonded a lot. We both run at pretty much the same pace, so it’s something we can enjoy and do together.”
Torri stayed close to home to run for College of the Ozarks after graduating from Branson in 2014. She qualified for the NAIA National Cross Country Championship in Charlotte, NC in November and finished 100th with a time of 19:02.7.
Watching her sister, and being so close with her, Adeline hopes to run beside her after she graduates next spring.
Being intrigued with the Point Lookout school also comes from her parents, Jeff and Tammy, graduating from and currently working there.
“I like the team there and coach (Clint) Woods is a great cross country coach. I love the atmosphere and I’d be able to run with my sister again,” Adeline said.
Adeline already has impressive speeds for college races.
As just a freshman, fairly new to the sport of cross country, she dominated at districts. And as a sophomore, she won the COC-Large before winning it again this past season with a time of 19:29. She later ran 19:42 to place third at districts. In her 2015 sectional meet, Adeline was the top local finisher with a time of 19:27.
Adeline finished 54th in the Class 4 state meet, crossing the finish line in 20:12.
This was her third consecutive year at state, and she’s going for a fourth and final, as well as a new personal record.
She wants to leave the time of 19:07 in the dust as it has followed Adeline since the ninth grade.
“I hit it every year,” she explained. “My goal this year is to get under 19. I think I can do that, but I think the last few years have been mentally hard. It’s weird, but I’m hoping to break it this year.”
That’s where Torri comes in.
“I’ve been running a lot with my sister,” Adeline said. “She pushes me a lot and we’ve been doing a lot of long runs and tempo runs.”
With her sister’s influence and positive outlook on Branson’s upcoming season, she’s well on her way.
“I’m really excited for this team coming up because we’ve gotten a lot of new girls. We’ve grown a lot. We only lost one person (Laurel Perry). We’re a young team, but we’ve ran together for a few years. I feel pretty good about it.”
She may practice daily with the Lady Pirates, but Adeline still makes time for Torri.
Running isn’t the only activity that brings them closer together.
The entire Holder clan has a passion for horticulture and agriculture, including Adeline’s other older sister, Amanda, who is currently attending the University of Arkansas.
Living in a home on the College of the Ozarks campus, Torri has three gardens, where she grows seeds for Bakers Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield.
“She grows peanuts, cucumbers and other vegetables. I help her out,” Adeline said.
Adeline is also working this summer, and does year-round.
A Dixie Stampede employee since last summer, Adeline is confident it doesn’t have an effect on her running performance.
“During the season I either don’t work or I go to work only a couple days a week. I like it there and they’re flexible with running practice,” Adeline said.
Adeline works in the carriage room, where she is sometimes part of the wait staff.
And sometimes she greets visitors dressed in a southern belle dress.
“It’s a lot of fun,” she laughed. “I wanted experience. Running is a big part of my life but it’s not all I do. With this job, I still have plenty of time to run. It gets me ready for life.”
When Adeline is not running, working or spending time in her sister’s garden, she can be found at Branson High School with her Future Educators Club, the Student Council crew or attending various school functions.
