Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Julie Allen - A perfect fit

Tony Altobelli

Julie Allen probably didn’t quite fit into Bill Sumner’s Christmas

stocking, but the Corona del Mar High coach still could not have gotten a

better present for his track and field team.

Allen, a standout runner for Fountain Valley High, transferred to the

Sea Kings in January and has made the most of her short time in a CdM

uniform.

“Coming to CdM was better than I could have ever dreamed it would be,”

Allen said. “The track program is first class, the athletes are great and

I’ve made a ton of new friends. The nice thing is that I’m still not too

far away from my old friends at Fountain Valley either.”

Allen’s first year with the Sea Kings reached its zenith May 19 at the

CIF Southern Section Division III finals, where she won titles in both

the 1,600- (4:58.20) and 3,200-meter runs (10:43.28).

“That was one of the impressive things I’ve ever seen,” Sumner said.

“Not based on her times, but based on the ease in which she ran each

race. She was under control in every race and she was just cruising.”

The junior also placed second in the 800 (2:18.12) and missed a third

individual by less than a second.

“I was taking each event as they came,” Allen said. “I just wanted to

do my best for the team because I knew we had a great chance of winning

the team title. It was neat to be able to compete in all three events.”

Allen racked up 28 out of CdM’s 52 points, helping the Sea Kings to

back-to-back Southern Section titles.

“You know those universal yellow happy faces?” Sumner said. “Pencil in

some legs under that face and you have Julie Allen. She’s always smiling,

no matter what I put her through.”

In the 1,600 and 3,200, Allen and the rest of Division III was teammed

up with Division II. In that division was Newport Harbor senior standout

Amber Steen.

Steen managed to outlast Allen in both races, but it’s that type of

competition which fuels the 5-foot-4 running machine to greater heights.

“I think that competition is very good for me,” Allen said. “It gives

you a great example of where you stand in terms of the top competition.

Knowing this was Amber’s last year, I wanted to savor each competition

with her. Plus, it’s much easier to run when you are going up against the

top competition.”

Soccer was Allen’s first favorite sport and she played it all the way

up until last year. “High school was when I first got into running,”

Allen said. “Playing soccer, I was able to run all day and have a blast

at it. I’ve always liked running long distances or for long periods of

time, so I got into track and cross country.”

Her resume speaks for itself.

In three years, Allen has racked up two individual CIF titles, she is

a three-time Masters meet qualifier in the 3,200, a three-time state

finalist in the 3,200, a three-time league champion in the 1,600 and

3,200 (PCL and Sunset League), the 1999 Los Angeles Times “Orange County

Runner of the Year” and three-time participant in the CIF Southern

Section and state cross country finals.

With colleges counting down the days, weeks and months until Allen

becomes a CdM graduate, she still has no idea where she may end up.

“I still need to do some more research on that one,” Allen said.

“That’s down the road a bit.”

Wherever she may go, it’s safe to say she’ll be a big hit to her new

teammates. Just ask anyone at CdM.