WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — It's time to shine the spotlight on a deserving student athlete that's getting it done on the playing field and in the classroom.
Zemaya Carson is a two-sport athlete at Warner Robins High School. She plays basketball in the winter and dominates track and field in the spring during her career as a Demonette.
"She's very dedicated. I mean she played basketball and they went to the final four and when they got finished, she took a week off and came out here and started getting at it so she could compete for state title in discus and shot put this spring," said head coach David Erpelding.
"I try to be a leader by example because I want kids to see you can try new things and be good at it. You don't have to do the same old thing over and over again," Carson said.
The senior's love of throwing the shot put and discus started while watching her big sister Zaida, who also excelled in the field.
"I saw her one day out at practice and said that seems fun. So I tried it for myself and said I should throw when I get to 7th grade, so I did and I've been throwing ever since. I've been throwing with my sister since 7th grade and we have been our biggest competition," Carson said.
"We figured Zemaya would follow behind her but she's kind of stepped it up and went a bit further than what her sister did at the high school level," Erpelding said.
Outside of excelling region 1-5A, Zemaya is making a name for herself all across the state. Earlier this month at Friday Night Lights at Stars Mill High School, she placed 1st in Shot and 3rd in Discus, listing her as one of the top throwers in the GHSA.
"She's in the conversation for a state championship in shot put and she has to get her discus under control and she's has a chance for it too," Erpelding said.
An honors grad in the classroom, Zemaya is being recruited by several schools across the Southeast, and she hopes to join her sister as a college student athlete continuing to compete as well, but she knows the books come first.
"Grades are really important. I stress myself out. My parents don't really even have to say anything," she said.
A 93 grade point average, a state qualifier every year she competed, plus a personal record of 135 feet in discus and 41 feet in the shot put? All of these accolades and more are why Zemaya Carson is our athlete of the week.
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