The name Pradere is synonymous with athletic success at Carson High School.
It started way back in 1979 when Steve Pradere won the state 1600-meter championship. It continued with Pradere’ sons, Brock and Connor, who have excelled in football and baseball for the Senators.
And now, the youngest Pradere, Abby, is making a name for herself and following in her dad’s footsteps at the same time.
Pradere, after a stellar freshman season for the CHS volleyball team, is off to a tremendous start with Carson’s track and field team.
She ran a school-record 2:13.68 in the 800 at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays last weekend, besting Caitlin Prunty’s best (in 2000) by nearly three seconds. The 2:13.68 ranks her second in the state behind Centennial’s Karina Haymore, who ran a 2:11.80 at Mt. SAC.
“I was surprised at how fast I ran,” said Pradere, who was fifth in her heat. “I hadn’t run that fast (before). The pack carried me. I’m definitely running a lot faster than I thought I would be at the beginning of the year.”
“I’m just a little bit surprised,” CHS coach Robert Maw said. “She hasn’t backed down from a challenge yet as a freshman, and that’s impressive for a young runner. I’ve known Abby since middle school and I coached her in volleyball, and she doesn’t like to lose.”
And, if she continues at her present pace, Pradere is going to be tough to beat. With Haymore being a junior, that could become a pretty good rivalry for a couple of years.
Pradere credits a good winter of workouts for her fast start.
“I did a lot of running in the winter,” Pradere said before a recent practice. “My dad even ran with me. He had a program for me.”
“We just built a good base which you need to be a distance runner,” said the elder Pradere. “As a parent, I’m enjoying watching her compete. Having fun competing is part of being a track athlete.”
The elder Pradere said Abby had a chance to win her heat until the last 80 meters.
The CHS freshman said most of the winter work was long distance running, but since the season has started she’s putting in a lot of speed work.
Pradere said her goal is to run a 2:10 this year, and it seems likely she’s going to be able to shave three seconds off her time between now and the state meet June 20-21.
“If I have competition, I think I can do it,” Pradere said. “Adrenalin certainly helps, too. Last weekend, I just tried to stay with the front pack for as long as I could.”
Pradere has been almost as impressive in the 1600, clocking a 5:16 which puts her in the top-10 all-time. When she doubled at the Rocklin meet, she knocked off the heralded Kyra Hunsberger of Reno in the 1600.
“I didn’t even know that was her until after the race,” Pradere said. “Reno has another good runner (Makayla Shults), too. I remember watching her (Hunsberger) at state a couple of years ago.”
Pradere is likely to see both of them in both of her specialties, and she has the fire not to back away from the challenge.
Pradere is young and just scratching the surface. Maw believes he can use her in the 400 and 3200.
“She hasn’t run the 400 yet, but we’ve got a conference meet at Spanish Springs, and we’ll run her in it there,” Maw said.
“I know she is fast enough to win the 800, and I think she is fast enough to win the 400. The best mark in the north is 58 and change, and I know Abby could run a 59. I think Athena (Favero) could run a 59. Everybody else is in the low 60s right now.”