Get to know Concord HS runners, siblings Anthony Roberts Jr. and Zoe Roberts
ELKHART, Ind. — When Anthony Roberts Jr. tried to play football and basketball in the Concord School System, he couldn’t find his niche. So, when the seventh grade cross country coach asked him to give the sport a shot, he jumped in in with both feet, literally. In fact, he became so successful, he broke the school record that first year. Since then, his footprint on the record books in cross country and track has been cemented in the annals of Concord High School.
Zoe Roberts watched what his older brother had accomplished, so she took her own shot at cross country and track after trying out for basketball in seventh grade. “I was watching how well Anthony was doing and how hard he worked,” Zoe said, who is going to be entering her sophomore year. “It helped me set the map on what I needed to do and get ready for meets. Seeing my brother succeed is so incredible to watch, and it just motivates even more.”
For the sibling’s parents, all they wanted for their children was to find something they loved doing. “When my son stepped away from football and basketball, I knew it wasn’t the most popular thing,” Anthony Roberts Sr. said, “but we’ve always supported the both of them. It’s their story, and we just wanted them to do something that made them happy. I think it’s paid off.”
It’s paid off so much that Anthony broke a long standing 43-year-old record in the mile (now 1600 meters) accomplished by cross country and track star Walter Bliss by running a blistering 4:15 time. “It was just a culmination of all the hard work I put in,” Anthony said. He was up against one of the best runners in the state from Northridge, who jumped to an early lead. Anthony was behind most of the race until he finally overtook him in the end. He used that success by participating in the state track meet, where he finished 12th with a time of 4:20. He plans on furthering his running career by participating on the cross country and track teams at Goshen College.
Zoe revels in her brother’s success and wants to achieve her own level of success. But it’s not always about winning. It’s about the process. “I always think of how well I did, and not just winning. You can always find positives in each race. You just have to put things in perspective and try to figure out ways you can improve.”
Sibling rivalry can be a hindrance sometimes, but for them they have turned it into a positive. “You always have someone to push you to do better,” Zoe said. “We have developed such an awesome bond,” Anthony added, “and we have created so many amazing memories. But we still like to compete against each other, especially when she loves beating me in Mario Kart.”
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