After shining on both the court and the track for the Vernon Lady Lions, senior Klancy Sherrill will turn her athletic focus strictly to the track after high school, as she signed to attend Dallas Baptist University on a track scholarship earlier this week.
Sherrill, the daughter of Kevin and Kassidy Sherrill, was a four-year varsity starter for the Lady Lions volleyball team, a two-year varsity letterman in basketball, and also competed in powerlifting, but she has made her mark on the track.
In individual events, Sherrill has qualified for the regional meet the previous three years in either the 100-Meter Hurdles or the 300-Meter Hurdles, and sometimes both, and as a member of relay teams. And, she is looking to accomplish that feat again this year, with the Area Meet set for this Thursday and the Regional Meet to follow on May 1-2.
As a junior in 2025, Sherrill qualified for the Class 3A State Track & Field Meet in the 300-meter hurdles.
While track wasn’t her first sport, it is definitely her favorite sport now.
“Basketball was my first love when it comes to sports,” she said after her signing ceremony. “Then I started running track and just fell in love with it. I like the challenge of beating your best time.”
The senior didn’t have much choice when it came to being around sports, as her father is a football coach and served as the Lions head coach and Vernon ISD athletic director for five years before taking the same position at Blooming Grove ISD earlier this Spring.
“Sports is all that I’ve ever known, but I’ve enjoyed it,” the senior said. “I like sports and it was fun growing up and always being around sports. I love it when Dad gets to be my coach. When we’re working on the high jump he is wearing two hats – dad and coach – but the dad is always first. I’m definitely going to miss those times.”
Coach Sherrill shared those sentiments when he spoke during the signing ceremony. “As a dad getting to see your son or daughter grow up and go through the hills and the valleys that they go through on the way to becoming an adult means everything. But getting to coach you (Klancy) every day has meant the world to me. I’m excited about what the next chapter holds you.”
The family moved to Vernon at the start of Sherrill’s eighth grade year which allowed her to be a Lady Lion for most of her time in school athletics.
“Klancy is driven, highly determined, and the kind of person any coach would be grateful to have year after year,” said Amber Hall, who is the Lady Lions volleyball head coach and was Sherrill’s head coach throughout her high school career. “If I could duplicate her for another five years, I absolutely would. She carries herself with a gentle voice and an incredibly big heart.
“Klancy is accountability. She is dedication. She is integrity. She is perseverance. She is resilience. She is leadership. She is excellence. I have no doubt that DBU has gained a truly special young lady to represent their school. Klancy is going to do great things – and wherever she goes, she will leave it better than she found it. That’s who she is,” Coach Hall added.
Powerlifting head coach Sally Reeves echoed those thoughts. “Klancy works harder than anyone. She doesn’t know the words ‘that’s good enough.’ She always wants to go above and beyond. We would go through a workout and there would be Klancy wanting to do more. She carries herself with respect, and she the light she brings into a room is bright.”
Sherrill visited a few campuses, but knew DBU was the place she wanted to be the minute she stepped on campus. “I loved the campus,” said senior, who plans to major in kinesiology. “The people were all so nice. I felt comfortable being around people who share the same values that I have.”
Although Sherrill has focused primarily on the high jump and hurdle events in high school, she said the DBU track coach has already discussed her spreading her wings.
“They talked about me competing in the Heptathlon,” she said. “That would be a new challenge for me. I’ve competed in most of those events except throwing the javelin. They don’t let us throw the javelin in high school,” Sherrill added with a laugh.
The Heptathlon is a two-day event, with athletes competing the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200-meter dash on day one, and the long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run on day two. Points are awarded based on how the athlete finishes in each event, with the winner being the contestant with the most points at the end of day two.
Although she enjoys thinking about her future at DBU, Sherrill is focused on the present right now and advancing to the regional track meet in the 300-meter hurdles and high jump, along with helping the sprint and 800-meter relays move on as well. And, she would love to wrap up her high school career with a return trip to the State Track & Field Meet.