MELLETTE – It started off as a simple way to save time and has evolved into a serious race against time.

Last spring, Jessica Boekelheide was in a bit of hurry to attend a function following a track and field meet. She received permission to run a sprint race instead of her usual distance event. Less than 13 seconds later, the Northwestern athlete had begun a new journey on her way to becoming one of the state’s premier sprinters.

Boekelheide set a new school record that day in her first attempt at the 100-meter dash.

“Of course, it was a surprise. I wasn’t expecting to do well,” Boekelheide said. “I was just running it for fun.”

Since that day, Boekelheide has traded in her distance races for sprints and the senior has made the most of her opportunities.

“It’s not easy, but I always thought it was important to be a well-rounded athlete, so even when I was running longer, I was still working on my speed,” Boekelheide said. “Now, I’ve just focused more so on that.”

Interestingly enough, Boekelheide went straight from the longest race in track (the 3,200 meter run) to the shortest one in the sport (100-meter dash).

She has since added the 200 and 400 as well.

“I wasn’t much of a middle distance runner,” Boekelheide said. “I went straight from the two mile being my best event to the 100-meter dash. I enjoyed all the races. It’s made my track career really fun.”

Boekelheide, a four-time state place winner in cross country and a past state place winner in the 3,200, still has an interest in the distance races. She knows most of the runners from competing against them.

“It was a change, but I still cheer for all of the girls in the mile and two mile,” she said, “because I know so many of them.”

She knows one of them exceptionally well. Her younger sister, Ella, won the State B cross country championship last fall and is now one of the state’s premier distance runners as an eighth-grader. The sisters run on some relay teams together.

In addition to adjusting to things like using blocks in the sprint races, Boekelheide said there is also a major difference in strategy between the shorter races and the longer races.

“Once you start running, you’re running is over before you know it,” Boekelheide said of the sprints. “If you mess up halfway through, you can’t make up that ground like you can in a longer race.”

While Boekelheide found instance success in sprint events, her times have gotten better the more she runs them. She said a big key has been an improvement in her form.

“I’ve dropped quite a bit of time in the 200, quite a bit of time in the 400, but the main thing is I’ve been a lot more consistent and a lot of that is because of my form work,” Boekelheide said. “I’ve been able to hit those times consistently rather just a few meets out of the season.”

Of course her attention to detail, determination and relentless work ethic have undoubtedly played key roles as well.

“Jessica is such a hard worker, in both athletics and academics,” said Northwestern girls’ coach Scott Boone. “She never ceases to amaze.”

Make no mistake, Boekelheide is not satisfied just to prove that she is capable of switching events. She is driven to become the best at whatever she is doing.

“I just practice, practice, practice, learning the correct form and then executing it every day,” she said, “and try to get better.”

Boekelheide will take that mission to South Dakota State next season where she will compete for the Jackrabbits, following in the footsteps of her brother, Derek, who also ran for SDSU.

Before then, Boekelheide will try to improve on her finishes at last year’s state meet and continue to provide leadership for the rest of her teammates at Northwestern. She said that culture can help to shape people’s minds and inspire them to have success.

“It can come individually, but I think it’s more so the environment of the team. If you’re on a team with no excuses and dedication and commitment, it’s transfers over to each athlete,” Boekelheide said. “Our girls’ team has many great athletes, and that’s the culture that I hope to help shape.”

It’s safe to say that whether running for 12 minutes in the 3,200 or for 12 seconds in the 100, Boekelheide has definitely left her mark on the Northwestern program.

“She will be sorely missed,” Boone said.

Boekelheide suggests that more athletes try new things, because as she has proven, you never know what might happen.

“I would encourage kids to try different events,” she said. “I think a lot of the characteristics you need to be a good distance runner carries over the sprint distances.”

And if you’re Jessica Boekelheide, there’s a chance that no matter what race you run, you can have the time of your life.