Continual spreading of CORVID-19 has impacted the 2020 sporting events yet again. An additional extension from April 6 to May 15 by the NCHSAA pushes the season further back. With action still on hold, the Senior Spotlight series presses forward and the next senior to stand in the limelight is Clinton High School’s Britt Thornton.
Thornton has had quite an accomplished sports career since dawning a Dark Horse uniform. Being a dual threat athlete for the Lady Horses, playing both volleyball and soccer, she’s racked up her share of accolades. Being named All-Conference and All-Region are a couple of them, along with being a captain during the 2019-20 volleyball season that made school history by going 26-2.
Becoming East Central Conference regular season and tournament champions, plus advancing to the fourth round of the 2A state playoffs has also added to that achievement.
Anyone who’s ever talked with Thornton or watched her play can quickly see her drive and love for sports. That drive doesn’t just exist in athletics, though, as she’s equally driven in academics, being a member of the National Honors Society, SGA and DECA. A desire for helping others is another of her passions and therefore she’s active in the community.
One such way was being a leader for the Peer Group Connection, a program for helping mentor younger students. Mentoring freshman with PGC, she has helped them adjust to the transition into high school. Experiences she says helped develop her leadership skills and mold her into the person she’s become.
“Working with PGC allowed me to mentor freshman and when I did I was able to help make their transition to high school 10 times better,” Thornton said. “It really impacted me because it helped bring out that leadership characteristic that I have from playing sports.”
“I’m also involved in many clubs and through them we did a lot of outreach programs in the community. Those had a huge impact on me and really helped make me the person that I am today,” Thornton added.
Thornton being a member of her various clubs shouldn’t be a surprise as she comes from a very education based household. Living with two teachers, she went on to express the importance of her education.
“Both my parents are teachers so education has always been very important to me since I was a little girl. I’ve been very successful during high school and thanks to that I’ve been accepted into East Carolina and Appalachian State. I’m very excited to go to college and can’t wait to further my education,” Thornton said.
With higher education in her future, Thornton is still undecided on which college she wants to attend. The same goes for her degree and career path, but for now, business marketing peaks her interest.
After a look into Thornton’s life and motivations outside of sports, the topic of everyone’s discussion, COVID-19, was next on the docket. With her being one of the many student-athlete’s having their senior year negatively disrupted, she shared rather positive insight on her views of the situation.
“I know that the virus is really impacting people but when I think about the situation my thoughts go to the aftermath. After all this is finally over, there is going to be so many people in need”, Thornton remarked. “For me, that’s who I want to help the most. Once this over I just want to jump on that opportunity to help as soon as I can.”
The virus isn’t the only adversity that Thornton has been facing during her senior year. Prior to the seasons suspension, she tore her ACL again, but this time on the opposite knee. With having to battle through that again, she shared more positive thoughts while addressing the injury, while also expressing her own personal feelings on how the virus has impacted her final season at Clinton.
“I tore my ACL again so I was going to be out for the season anyway, but I was still very excited to be with my teammates. These are people I’ve played with since I was little and I was excited for them being in their senior year,” she stated. “I was a captain again this season and though I was out this year I planned to motivate my team all season. Unfortunately I can’t now, but I know things will get better and that we’ll get through this rough time.”
“As far as battling through my second ACL, tear I have to thank my father Tracy Thornton for helping get through it. He’s always pushed me and told me I’ll always face adversity in my life but I’ll have to push through,” Thornton continued. “I’m very blessed with everything I have and this is just a little setback, I can only go up from here and I just need to remember that.”
Thornton seems to have a knack for looking at the bright side and always remaining hopeful, a testament to her good character. Something that hasn’t gone unnoticed as another of her big supporters, Clinton Athletic Director Brad Spell, shared words on her.
“Extremely bright young lady who always puts team before herself and goes above and beyond trying to make herself and her team better. Super classy young lady who is a joy to coach. She understands the importance of hard work but at the same time, keeps a fun competitive atmosphere,” Spell said.
“Britt has gone through a lot the past two years at CHS, recovering from an ACL injury. Now having to face this adversity again in her other knee, she is such a trooper,” Spell added. “She continues to smile and keeps pushing play in a positive manner. I’m really proud to have gotten the opportunity to have taught her.”
With only a few words left to share in her final statements, she thanks those that have helped her all along the way.
“I just want to thank my friends, family and community for helping grow me into the woman that I am today and as we always say: Go Horses!” she concluded.
Thornton is a shining example of the mind set we all should have during this trying time. With her over flowingly positive nature, nothing seems to be able to hold this Dark Horse from moving forward.
