A gifted all-around athlete, Kelsey Pitre has opted to travel a very unique path in sports. While the Grade 8 student at R.L. Beattie has starred in a number of different athletic pursuits, her heart, at least at the moment, is set on a passion slightly removed from the spotlight.

�I want to train for speedskating, because that�s my main sport,� explained the middle of three children in the family. Growing like a weed, Pitre now boasts a body frame that makes her a very nice fit for sports like volleyball, basketball and track & field as well.

�I want to fit it all in, but sometimes you just don�t have enough time,� she said. The plight of the dedicated athlete. And make no mistake � this adept young conversationalist, with her sights set on earning a berth at the Canadian Speed Skating Championships this year, is clearly an elite athlete.

To that end, like most athletes, Pitre admits that she struggles from time to time in finding that perfect balance between competition and the sheer enjoyment of sport.

�I guess there is a fine line between getting way too serious � it should still be about having fun,� she said. �You still have to have a life.�

�You�re probably going to be frustrated at the end of a game if you didn�t win, bit I don�t think it�s a reason to be mad at your friends, or anything like that.�

Having played competitive soccer (Greater Sudbury United), club volleyball (Northern Chill), not to mention countless school sports as well, it might well seem like Pitre has attempted every sport going.

Yet as she prepares for the transition to Grade 9, Pitre looks to expand her athletic horizons even further. �I�m going to try a bunch of things at Lockerby Composite,� she noted.

�Soccer, volleyball, basketball, might check out badminton (her brother plays), probably try out for the swim team. In terms of track & field, I want to go to OFSAA � I want to try hurdles, maybe pole vault.�

It�s easy to see why her calendar is filled even faster than she works her way around the laps of Countryside Arena. Attending a top end speed skating camp in Ottawa over the summer, Pitre, once again, demonstrates the character traits needed to rise above the pack.

�I�m really determined, I continuously push myself to do my best and I would say that I�m pretty consistent,� she explained, when asked about the makeup of her personality to allow her to enjoy success in sports.

And while it�s a virtual given that her high-school career will provide for countless more athletic highlights, Kelsey Pitre will always have a soft spot for those who influenced her formative years.

�I love the coaches here at Beattie � Miss Yauk and Mme MacFarlane are the main coaches here,� said Pitre. �They�re just fun � they�re really competitive, but that�s what makes them fun.�