Springside Track Star Natalie Bates Signs On With Lehigh

When it comes to track and field, Springside School senior and Blue Bell resident Natalie Bates considers herself a jack of all trades.

With six school records on her resume, it’s hard to argue with the Blue Bell native, and it’s easy to understand why Division I Lehigh University sought out the versatile athlete’s services.

Last Wednesday, Bates signed her letter of intent to compete in track and field for Lehigh University.

Bates chose the Mountain Hawks over Bucknell University and Lafayette College.

“I kind of had a familiarity with the school because of indoor track,” Bates said. “We ran there pretty much every week. I felt comfortable at the school. And then when I was looking at engineering schools, Lehigh is one of the best in the country.”

Staying close to home was also a factor.

Bates knew she had potential as an underclassman, but never thought about reaching the Division I level.

“Thinking about a D-1 program in ninth grade, I didn't really think about it,” Bates said. “I kind of surprised myself a little bit that I'm competing on the D-1 level.”

While she initially applied to study engineering, Bates she she’s going to study business instead and is interested in the marketing field.

In uniform, Bates’ flexibility will give her a real shot at representing the Hawks in the heptathlon, a competition that has athletes competing in seven events over a two-day period, including the 100-meter hurdles, the high jump, the shot put and the 200-meter sprint on day one; and the long jump, the javelin and the 800-meter race on day two. A point system is in place to determine the winner.

Bates, who noted she is in a transition period right now in her athletic career, just started jumping in the high jump, long jump and hurdles this year. She’s already off to a good start, as evidenced by the school record of 15 feet, 8.5 inches she set in the long jump and her mark of 4-10 in the high jump, which tied Springside School’s record.

In the 300 hurdles, she recently re-broke her own school record of 48.98 in the 300 hurdles with a time of 46.90.

“I just started to compete in high jump, long jump and hurdles,” Bates said. “I just picked that up this year, but I haven't had a chance to do it all at once.”

Bates also owns the school record in the 800 (2:18.2), the 1,600 (5:22.92) and the javelin (97-0).

Last spring, Bates won the 1,600 race with a time of 5:24.23 at the Inter-Ac League Girls’ Championship Meet. Four days later at the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association Championship, she took sixth in the javelin.

At this winter’s PTFCA Indoor State Championship, Bates finished 16th overall in the 800.

“I'm a big fish in a small pond,” said Bates in regards to the Inter-Ac League’s talent level verses some of the bigger public school leagues. “The Inter-Ac, we're becoming a pretty good league. In the past, we haven't had that much competition.”

Bates also plays a big role in Springside’s relays, specifically the Lions’ 4x100 relay. At the Penn Relays, the foursome of Jamie McGinn, Bates, Sarah-Chen Ogorek and Taylor Ellis-Watson finished fourth in the high school girls’ prep school 4x400 independent race with a time of 4:13.90.

In her younger days, Bates played soccer, basketball and softball, but when she had to pick a spring sport in seventh grade, she chose track and field.

“I knew I was fast, so I thought track was the best option,” said Bates, who played soccer in the fall for the Lions.

And since her decision to run track, the sport has grown on her.

“Well, (if) I compare soccer and track, I like soccer more,” Bates said. “I see track as something I’m pretty good at.”

But Bates added that when she’s out of track season, she is “yearning for it.”

“I realize when I come out of season, anything but track seems wrong,” Bates said. “Year after year, I’ve built up a love for track.”

So much so that she’s signed on for four more years.