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Dakota White’s unique drive is inspiring many through Whistle Sports’ most recent episode of “No Days Off,” which was released Tuesday.
The self-proclaimed “fastest 7-year-old in the nation” possesses a work ethic that rivals the likes of Olympic gold medalists, and the results are evidence of her hard work.
Sonja Franklin-Johnson began coaching Dakota two years ago. Having regularly coached players between the ages of 6 and 18, Franklin-Johnson says she trains Dakota the same way she trains the older runners.
“All the steps are the same,” Franklin-Johnson said in the video. “Just the level of intensity sometimes can be different, and she’s just dedicated. We try to make sure that the kids have fun because they are super young, and so for this to last and to go to college, you have to make it fun.”
A year ago, the DeSoto, Texas, native competed at the AAU Gulf Primary/8U Championships, where she took home gold medals in the 100- and 400-meter races among 6-year-old girls.
“I work hard and have a lot of gold medals,” Dakota said in the video.
Inspired by fellow North Texas native Sha’Carri Richardson, Dakota hopes to follow in Richardson’s footsteps and one day qualify for the Olympics.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dakota White (@isprintkota15)
A post shared by Dakota White (@isprintkota15)
Her father, Cam, is a former TCU wide receiver and says Dakota is always pushing him to work out with her.
“At the end of the day, she puts a lot of work ethic in me, so it gets me more driven because I’m like, ‘If my daughter can do it, that’s a 400-meter track.’ If she can do this, there’s no reason why I couldn’t do certain things,” Cam said in the video. “It just gets us more driven as parents.”
Dakota is trained by Ryan Tennison at the Elite Sports University Training Facility. She hopes to attend college at LSU, where Richardson was a standout track star.
Trent Singer is the High School Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @trentsinger.