Huntsville Cowgirl on a full-ride scholarship

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Huntsville senior RaKira Turner, seated in front, smiles for the cameras after signing a scholarship offer from McNeese State University on Monday morning. Behind Turner, from left, are her father Ronald Turner, sisters RaNina and RaKendra Turner, Hornets track and field coach David Cooper, mother Frieda Turner and Lady Hornets track coach Kathy Lehman. RaKira Turner plans on competing in the shot put, discus and hammer throw at McNeese State. Tom Waddill
Senior RaKira Turner has won district and regional championships in both the shot put and discus during her high school career in Huntsville. On Monday, she accepted a scholarship offer from McNeese State, where she soon will be a member of the Cowgirls’ track and field program. Tom Waddill

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February 22, 2012

Turner signs big track scholarship from McNeese State

By Tom Waddill Sports Editor The Huntsville Item Wed Feb 22, 2012, 12:25 AM CST

HUNTSVILLE — RaKira Turner had quite a birthday bash Monday morning at Huntsville High School. Complete with punch and cookies, Turner, her sisters, their parents and coaches celebrated together during a short break from class.

RaKira, RaNina and RaKendra Turner all turned 18, but the celebration was for something bigger than the triplets’ birthday. A district and region champion in the discus and shot put, RaKira Turner signed a track and field scholarship offer from McNeese State University.

After completing her final season with the Lady Hornets, Turner will head to Lake Charles, La., where she will throw the shot put, discus and even give the hammer throw a try starting in the fall. She plans on studying education so she can one day be a teacher, and a coach, perhaps.

“I’m excited,” said the soft-spoken Turner, a state-meet qualifier the past two seasons. “We went on a visit (to McNeese State) earlier this month and I really liked what I saw.

“It’s small and I liked that. The girls act like a family. I hung out with them and it was cool.”

Turner’s parents, Ronald and Frieda Turner, also thought McNeese State was pretty cool, especially when Cowboys track coach Brendon Gilroy offered an all-expenses-paid scholarship.

“Kira deserves everything she gets,” Lady Hornets track coach Kathy Lehman said Monday. “Not a lot of throwers get full scholarships, so for her to get this opportunity it’s just amazing. They are going to cover out-of-state tuition and everything else.”

Huntsville track and field coach David Cooper knew Turner was special the first day he saw her in the discus ring. He remembers getting a phone call four years ago from a coach at Mance Park Middle School.

“Kira was in the eighth grade and It had been raining a lot,” Cooper recalled. “The coach called and asked me and coach (Joseph) Granville if he could send one of his throwers over to work out with us. Kira got here and she was wearing a Sam Houston T-shirt. All of our high school kids thought she went to Sam Houston, especially after she threw a few times, but I told them she was in eighth grade.

“We’ve had a great relationship since that day.”

Turner has been one of Cooper and Granville’s prized pupils ever since that first day.

“Kira pays attention to details, she’s very focused and when she’s doing something wrong, she gets it corrected pretty easy,” Cooper says. “She’s a blessing to coach.

“McNeese is not only getting a great thrower, they’re getting a great person,” he added. “They’re getting someone who wants to be successful. Kira is goal-driven. I really believe the sky’s the limit for her.”

Turner says she’s going to set high goals for her senior season, which got started at a meet last week in Waller. She hopes to break her personal records in both the shot put and discus and do something she has not yet done at the UIL State Track and Field Championships late this spring.

“I’m looking for big things to happen this year,” Turner said. “I want to PR in both the shot and disc and get back to Austin. I want to medal in Austin, not just go there this year.”

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