MCLEANSVILLE — Navia Coles developed an affinity for track, having become a runner at age 4 and being inspired by her mother, who was pregnant with his daughter when she competed in masters’ events in California.
The Northeast Guilford senior didn’t start running cross country until freshman year, not because of desire but out of obligation. The Rams track program wanted its athletes to do it to make sure they stayed in-shape during the fall in preparation for the season.
Coles admits now that she didn’t take cross country seriously until this year, realizing that cross country conditioning could help her not only improve in track but also help her reach the ultimate goal of becoming a pilot.
When looking at college possibilities this summer, the University of Texas at Austin had an aerodynamics program that attracted her attention. She also liked that the school had a major Division I track program. But there was a problem.
“ … I went to see their standards (for track times), I was like, ‘Oooh, my time is nowhere near that,’” Coles said. “Let me try to aim for it at least to go and get it, so just to better myself.”
Coles hasn’t gained the attention of big-time Division I programs, but through hard work and discipline has earned her offers from NAIA Indiana Tech for track and from Division III Meredith College for both track and flag football. However, other schools like Belmont, Mount Olive and UNC Greensboro have shown interest in the Rams’ multi-sport athlete, who is a candidate for Northeast’s homecoming queen.
At Northeast, she received both the Coaches Award and Most Improved Award in both cross country and outdoor track as a junior. That year in track, Coles finished sixth in regionals in the 100 meters at 12.35 seconds and at the state 3A championships, was the anchor on the 4×100 relay that finished second to Northside at 48.29 seconds and the second leg of the 4×200 relay that finished second to Dudley by just over three seconds at 1:39.96.
In flag football, the 5-foot-9 sprinter played wide receiver and running back on offense and safety on defense, scoring seven rushing touchdowns and taking two of her three interceptions back for scores.
Last fall in cross country, Coles didn’t do any better than 27:40 until the Mid-State 3A Conference Championships as she took the summer off recovering from a concussion and didn’t start running again until late August. But this year, with a full offseason and more serious training, she set a personal record in her first race of 2025, winning the Small Team High School Challenge on Sept. 5 in 25:16.80. She followed that with an even faster time of 24:12 at the TAAC Six Conference Meet One five days later at the same course, Keeley Park.
Coles called this cross country season “superb” and said her results are much better than expected. She said she simply wanted it more this year than in past years.
While cross country remains a secondary sport for her, she sees the value in it through preparation for track. When she was younger, Coles said she would often walk the trails during practice, not feeling a purpose in doing it, instead of doing what it took to get the best times.
“Cross country helps me build my stamina for my long runs,” Coles said. “Because, you know, I do the 400 (meters) and hopefully the 800 (meters) and if he puts me in the 3200 (meters), I’ll be ready for it.”
In addition to practicing hard, Coles has paid more attention to detail, specifically in her diet ahead of meets. As a sophomore, in preparation for a heavy track meet schedule, she began a routine of eating steak, pasta and/or rice two hours and 45 minutes before competing. She does admit to reaching in her bag for Skittles after every race, saying the balance of healthy diet and junk food is good for her.
“I feel like having a healthy balance between not just strictly salads and healthy foods, a balance between health and junk, it kind of gives the body more energy, if that makes sense,” she said.
In cross country her goals are simply to run a faster time than the last time, but for track, she has already mapped out specific benchmarks for each sprint distance. The goals she set would be good enough to compete at a major Division I college.
As for long term, she still has her sights set on becoming a commercial or private pilot.
“It was being in a plane at a young age and just walking past the captain’s bin and seeing all of those buttons and seeing how they drive the plane,” Coles said. “For me, it was a really big inspiration to try to do that and I guess the responsibility of carrying so many people to and from somewhere and that feeling when you have executed that.”
Cooper’s Question, Presented by PF PlumbingQ: What’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self about navigating high school or life in general?
A: It’s OK, you’ll live through the hardships. You’ll mess up on some, you won’t win every time, you’ll definitely have those hardships, but don’t beat yourself up about it, relax and just don’t overthink it. Just do it.”
Bryant.roche@greensboro.com
@BRocheSports
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Bryant Roche
High School Sports Reporter
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