THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Saturday, March 28, 2015

It was kind of luck that Coeur d'Alene High senior Victoria Goetz found her favorite event in track and field.

That, hard work, and a coach throwing her into an unfamiliar situation.

FOR GOETZ, who recently verbally committed to the University of Idaho track and field team, her journey in the 400-meter dash started at the Pasco Invitational in 2014.

Already a standout in the 100- and 200-meter dash, as well as the 4x100 and 4x200 relays, Coeur d'Alene coach Linda Lanker wanted to put Goetz in the open 400 to see what she could do.

"I think moving her from the 100, she was content just running the 100 and 200," Lanker said. "Then I think she realized she'd have more success in the 400."

Goetz finished that day in Pasco in 59.58 seconds, finishing ninth overall. A month later, she finished runner-up in the state 5A meet last May after only running the event for a month.

"She didn't convince me, she just kind of put me in the 400 at Pasco last year," Goetz said. "My goal last year was to break the 100-meter dash school record, but instead after running a 59 at Pasco, she looked at me and said 'I really think you can place at state' and that's when I realized what kind of a chance I had."

"She wasn't real happy with me at the time," Lanker said. "But she agreed to put in the work and effort. To get second in the state after only running that event for a month - that was huge."

Goetz's fastest time in the 400 this year is 59.04 seconds, which is the second fastest time in the state at 5A according to athletic.net.

"I think having the nice weather during the offseason really helped me get ready for this year," Goetz said. "I love training and have been doing some weightlifting and doing some CrossFit. I love to be super fit and active."

Goetz also runs the anchor leg of the Vikings' 4x100 relay team, which won at the Christina Finney Relays in Post Falls on Thursday in 49.80 seconds.

"Relays are really a complete team effort," said Goetz, who teams with Kaitlyn Gunnerson, Taryn Horvath and Emily Callahan in the event. "Especially our 4x100 team. We have to work together, and do it so well. I love competing in track. Everyone is like a big family."

GOETZ WAS also receiving interest from Northern Arizona and Montana before deciding on Idaho.

"The main reason I went there is because of their coaches," Goetz said. "Coaches Tim and Cathleen Cawley, they're amazing people. I love that they're a married couple and it's just like a big family. Everyone says that if you need something from them, since you're so far from home - but not really in my case - that if you need anything, they're just like having your parents nearby."

"I got to know Tim at the World Championships in Oregon last summer," Lanker said. "Tim and his wife Kathleen will do a great job with Victoria, and they're so excited to get her."

Goetz is undecided on a major as of yet.

"I'm not entirely sure, but am looking into something in exercise science," Goetz said. "I've heard they've got a good program down there for that."

HAVING A chance to stay a little closer to home appealed to Goetz.

"After talking to Northern Arizona, she told me she wanted to be close by," said Lanker, who also coaches hurdles for the Community Colleges of Spokane track team. "When I told the coaches at Idaho about her, they were pretty excited. Montana was very interested in her. For her, going to Idaho, she'll get to stay close to home. I'll even get a chance to see her, coaching at Spokane."

Coeur d'Alene's girls have won each meet they've entered thus far this season, winning the Sweeney Invitational on March 14 in Lewiston, the Quad City Invitational on March 21 at Coeur d'Alene High and Thursday's Christina Finney Relays, where the Vikings had the most team points for the girls with 143.5.

Finishing with a win in the state meet, in what could be Lanker's final meet as coach, is to be determined.

"It would be awesome," Goetz said. "Especially if this really is her last year. Just to finally be able to get that trophy to say we won. We did it. It would be awesome."

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at JEPressSports.