Stoudenmire carries on her winning ways

Ella Stoudenmire continues to make an impact at the University of North Georgia.

The sophomore from Maxeys won the 800 meters and finished third in the 1,500 meters at this year’s Peach Belt Conference Championships on April 20-21.

That continued her success from her freshman season, when she was selected  all-conference in the 4x400 meter relay, the 800 meters and the 1,500 meters.

“I won conference this year in the 800, so I’d like to do that again next year and hopefully the year after,” Stoudenmire said. “I also want to qualify for nationals at some point. I was working at it this year, but didn’t quite make it. So I want to try to qualify for nationals at some point.”

Stoudenmire credits UNG women’s track and field coach Chris England for her improvement. However, the big reason she’s drawn to him as a coach is that he reminds her of her old high school coach: Her dad Tim Stoudenmire.

“(England) has some of that competitive spirit that my dad has,” Ella said. “He really wants to push us to win, that type of stuff.” 

Tim and Penni Stoudenmire serve as the head and assistant girls track coaches at Oglethorpe County and served as their daughter’s coach from her sophomore to her senior seasons.

It wasn’t the first time the two had coached their daughter, though. 

The two coached her softball team when she was younger. Even at a lower level competition, Tim — a longtime wrestling coach — wouldn’t back down from his winning ways. 

“I remember him being really competitive,” Ella said. “He just wants to win all the time, which was funny when we were little kids.”

That competitive edge willed the Patriots to quick success. Two years after he and his wife were hired in 2019, the women’s team won its first of two consecutive championships.

The first championship was Ella’s final year with the team, the perfect cap on an incredibly successful senior campaign. 

She finished her high school career as a two-time state champion in the 800 meters and 4x400 relay, and a state champion in 4x800 relay. That championship and winning it alongside her parents was a clear highlight.

“It was great,” Ella said. “I knew they were so proud of me, but at the same time, they were there with me at practice every day pushing me and making me work hard. So it was just really cool.”

Tim has coached a combination of track, wrestling and football for almost 30 years, and has won state titles in wrestling and track. He also fondly remembers Ella’s final season at OCHS.

“I don’t know if you could find any coaches that could come up with a better scenario to end the season,” Tim said. “How could you find a better way to finish your child’s high school career than to end it on the highest note possible, and then to be as intimately involved with, as we were, being the head coach and the assistant coach? Easily, without a doubt, the highlight of my career.”

That championship was a maturation of the athlete Ella had become. After struggling with track in middle school and even her freshman year, she finally took to the sport, as her parents had in high school.

With a successful high school career in the books, Ella felt like she had unfinished business. Alongside her dad’s assistance, the two began to look into colleges for her to continue her track career. 

After a trip to Dahlonega and a conversation with England, Ella had made up her mind.

“I love the campus. It’s a beautiful campus, and just my teammates,” Ella said. “I love them so much. It's such a good team dynamic.”

Even with a busy work schedule, the pair have made it a mission to make every meet. 

“Her first year, we did not miss a single event,” Tim said. “It almost killed us. We just we wanted to be there as parents to watch her, but also for her to feel the support. Because that first year in college is, daunting. The transition is tough, you get homesick. We made sure that we were not going to miss.”