Distance runner Emily Jobes, Bethlehem Press’s female athlete of the year from Liberty High School, would be the last person to tell you she’s a two-time state medalist and a three-time district gold medalist, but her coaches will be the first.

“Reaching the podium at states is hard to do in Pennsylvania, but she does it really modestly,” said Liberty assistant cross country coach Maura Henderson.

Henderson, who was a distance runner at Lehigh University and Harriton High School, was only at Liberty for one year before moving to Colorado, but she left an impression on Jobes and Jobes on her.

“I would do some hard workouts with her, and we would use that time to visualize races, talk about the pro world, college world, high school standouts, and some high school drama,” Henderson laughed. “I loved all the girls dearly and adored them, and we still run together when I come back.”

Liberty’s girls cross country team, led by Jobes, was undefeated in 2020. Jobes went on to win the District XI Class 3A championship in the same year after winning district gold in 2019, but her personal record time of 18:17 was achieved at the Paul Short Invitational before there was even a thought about medals.

“I started as a soccer player, but I think I loved the running up and down the field, so it was my sophomore year when I took running seriously,” Jobes said. “After the race at Paul Short, and then making leagues and districts, I thought maybe I can do this.”

Jobes also became a leader on Liberty’s cross country team.

“She was that consistency up front, really dependable, and I never had to worry about her faltering,” said Liberty head cross country coach Adam Syty. “That’s important because to show up and be diligent, she was always that person.”

One of Jobes’ goals was to be that person her teammates could look up to.

“A few girls, who you can tell when you’re the upperclassman and they look up to you, that was a goal of mine,” Jobes said. “When you believe in yourself, your growth is tremendous, you’re mentally stronger, tougher, more positive, and it’s fun, and there’s a good team culture.”

Jobes’ successes didn’t come without their challenges this year, though.

“That heat at states,” said Syty, regarding a sudden reversal of weather conditions from the cooler weather during the regular season that made it difficult for Jobes to medal.

And then there were the heats at states, where competitors were running in four separate races because of COVID-19, instead of racing in one pack as they had the year before when Jobes won a 13th place state medal.

There was also the treacherous district course at Blue Mountain Ski Resort.

“She was hesitant to wear spikes, but she had to with that hill,” said Syty, “and her best competitor was running in another heat, so she had to time trial it and set time standards at certain points on the course.”

In fact, Jobes ran alone all cross country season, and trying to race the clock added another challenge.

“She puts her nose down every day,” said Henderson, “and she showed the other girls on the team how to do the big things and the little things and was a good role model.”

Henderson was just as good a role model for Jobes.

“Coach Henderson really impacted our girls team to believe in ourselves and have a positive attitude. She helped us with our mindset and nutrition and developed us as runners, and I’m thankful for that,” Jobes said.

Although Jobes’ mother Kathleen has been an in-house tole model and is what her daughter calls a crazy-strong runner who competed in the 2008 Olympic Trials, she never pushed her daughter in one direction or another.

“My mom didn’t run in high school or college. Her thing is that running is fun, and if you put in the work, you should enjoy the process,” Jobes said.

Maybe that’s why Jobes was a little shocked to have won a PIAA State Class 3A eighth place medal in the 3200 meter run on May 29 at the state Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University because she was enjoying the process.

“I just didn’t think about it,” Jobes said. “I was a little shocked in a field that was so competitive. I was very excited. And it was even more special, not having a track season last year and going into the outdoor spring season to see what I could do. I wanted to get in with the best competition.”

Coach Henderson already sees Jobes as part of that best competition as she makes her way to the University of Pittsburgh in August.

“She’s kind of been in a league of her own, and that can be difficult and lonely,” Henderson said, “but she’s just on par where I see high level athletes are.”