In her freshman year at Stroudsburg, Kelly Tita had her basketball season cut short due to an ankle injury.

Ironically, a twist of fate led to her current prosperous track career at Northampton High School.

“I wanted to do something in the spring, and I knew I was pretty quick,” noted Tita, a senior. “I decided to give track a try and it was a good fit for me.

“When I look back, I was slow as compared to now. I learned a lot back then that can help me now. I ran for the ‘B” team and didn’t run for the varsity.”

Tita’s family moved to Northampton in January of her sophomore year, and she has been a standout for the Konkrete Kids’ track and basketball teams.

“Once I got to Northampton, I started to theme, and I loved it,” said Tita. “I have really kept up with it.

“Basketball has kept me in shape because we didn’t have a (track) season last year.

Through the meets this season, Tita has managed to hit a new person best at every meet. In a recent meet against Nazareth, she ran the 100 in 12.7, and the 200 in 27.4. She also runs in the 4 x 100 and 4 X 400 relays and the long jump.

“I had been getting up and down the court pretty quickly in basketball,” she said. “I have kept working at it, and I feel like I am at a good pace toward peaking at the right time.

“Coach Caff (head coach Tim Caffrey) has been working us hard running 200s and 300s and not much time between them. We stay in sprints as long as we can.”

Tita takes a slightly different approach in the 200.

“In the 100, it is just a matter of getting out front and killing it,” she stressed. “In the 200, there is more to it as I start slower and then kick down the straightaway.

“I did the long jump once, but I had some shin splints, so I don’t know when I’ll get back to it.”

Tita is confident about her chances in the districts.

“I am around sixth in the league right now in my events,” she said. “I really feel good how I am running right now, and I know I can continue to get better and peak at the right time.”

Tita plans to attend Millersville University in the fall to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. She also has entertained the thought of running in college.

“I spoke to the coaches there, and I have the times now to be a walk-on,” she said. “But I’ll keep working to get better, and she how my times are at the end of the year.”