GILROY — The same day Natalie Gutierrez broke Christopher’s high jump record, her shoes were stolen. It turns out, she doesn’t need them.
After breaking the Cougars record with a 5-2 mark at the Garlic Classic March 22 at Soquel, Gutierrez has been consistently stellar — and she’s been doing it all in her sprinting shoes.
“It made me a little sad, but I’d rather lose them and get a personal best than not,” the Christopher junior said. “They had one last wish and then they were like ‘I’m going to leave’.”
Gutierrez capped off last season at 5-1, but said this year she was determined to go higher. That drive has led to her being ranked No. 1 and on the brink of achieving her goal of making it to the Central Coast Section tournament May 24. Cougars coach Jeff Myers said he has no doubt Gutierrez will win league and it wouldn’t surprise him if she secured a spot in the CCS finals, too.
“The high jump — she’s just nailing it,” Myers said. “She’s so confident, she’s so dead-on. She’s continuing from last year and her spirit keeps her going.”
That spirit and drive is also the reason Gutierrez is finding success on the track. Her love of running drove her to take on the 400 and 800-meter events as well as compete in the 1,600 relay. Her Cougar teammates and coaches have the utmost confidence in her, naming her to the critical anchor position which runs the last leg of the race — and she’s not letting them down.
Gutierrez chased down Alyssa Ungrady of Great Oak to pass her two meters from the finish line, leading Christopher to a fifth place finish and a medal at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational April 12 in Los Angeles. It was a season-best time (4:04.91) for the team which also features Carly McPolin, Vanessa Koontz and Allita Watkins.
“She’s gutsy; she’s a pretty fierce competitor,” Myers said. “I don’t have to remind her to find another gear. She just refuses to get beat. You can just see it in her face when she’s trying to chase someone down or hold somebody off. She’s just not going to let anybody pass her.”
But Gutierrez isn’t just a one-sport wonder.
The junior is also the school’s No. 1 golfer and she helped lead the Cougars to their first Monterey Bay League banner this past season. The team didn’t advance to the CCS tournament due to a technicality, but Gutierrez still considered it a win as the Cougars finished 10-1. Her performance with the team earned her a spot on the All-League Second Team.
While balancing the two sports can be difficult, Gutierrez said she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s done track since sixth grade, golf since eighth, and doesn’t foresee stopping either any time soon.
“I would love to play them both in college, it’s going to be hard though,” Gutierrez said. “I welcome the challenge though — I love challenges.”
Even when she falls short of her goals, Myers said Gutierrez is still the same bubbly, positive athlete he’s watched flourish over the last couple seasons — and that’s the reason for her success. Her attitude is to get back to work and do better and week after week — and she does.
“I just say: There’s always someone out there better then you,” Gutierrez said. “You might as well be the one training harder than being the one laying down and relaxing.”
She’s gutsy; she’s a pretty fierce competitor. I don’t have to remind her to find another gear. She just refuses to get beat. You can just see it in her face when she’s trying to chase someone down or hold somebody off. She’s just not going to let anybody pass her.”
