Never one for the spotlight, Princeton's "workaholic" Wooten wins Extra Effort Award

By Jared Fialko

"She works harder than any young lady I have had in 40 years of coaching," boasted long-time Princeton High School softball coach Don Andrews.

How's that for an Extra Effort Award sales pitch? After testimony like that, we had to meet Meredith Wooten, and for all the moves in her athletic arsenal, we soon found out that patting herself on the back has never been a part of her three-sport playbook.

"I don't like doing stuff like this, I don't like being video'd, I don't like recognition either," said Tom Suiter Extra Effort Award Winner Meredith Wooten, who quickly nodded in agreement when we asked if she was miserable at that moment.

If the Princeton senior won't brag on herself, we will. An all-conference performer in softball, volleyball, and basketball, where Meredith and mom's final game as student-athlete and head coach respectively came in the 1A State title tilt.

"It's been great, and I don't know if she'd say the same thing, but for me it's been a dream," smiled Meredith's mother and Princeton girls basketball coach Paula Wooten, who is on the road to retirement.

For this community as a whole, Meredith's been the dream representative. Top-10 in her class with a 4.25 GPA and bound for Johnston Community College with a future goal of becoming a second grade teacher. When she's not helping out with local Little Leagues or singing in the Princeton Church of God choir, Meredith works a part-time job a the Pine Level Town Market.

"She's a personal reflection on our whole county, I think," Andrews added. "She's a going-and-doing person and the epitome of the whole Princeton community."

"That level of excellence that she strives for, helps make everyone around her a little bit better," said Sherri Gaster, Princeton High School math teacher. "People feed off of that, her teammates do, her classmates do."

"Just the relationships I've created throughout Princeton, it's more like a family than anything," Meredith clarified. "The community always gives us support."

A region richer for having Meredith Wooten in it.

"She was our flower girl for our wedding," recalled Princeton volleyball coach Paige Renfrow. "I'm gonna cry. She was just itty-bitty to now a high school senior, I don't know where the time went."

She may cringe at another reason for recognition, but we're beyond proud to call Meredith Wooten a winner of the Tom Suiter Extra Effort Award.