Donna Randall was a dominant cross country and track athlete in our area during 1972 to 1975. Upon graduation she took her talents to Brandeis University in Waltham and was selected to the All Greater Boston Colleges team and the All New England squad. She was a pioneer as a proud member of the 1st Girl’s Cross Country and Track Teams at AHS and while her accomplishments were many, she was always excited by the efforts of her teammates and cheered them on at the top of her lungs.
In Cross Country, under the tutelage of long-time coach Pat Polletta, Donna won all of the regular season dual meets in her Junior and Senior seasons and held the home Cross Country course record. She served as team captain her senior year and AHS won the Cape Ann League championship. Donna won the Exeter, New Hampshire Invitational meet, a competition that was considered an equivalent to the New Hampshire state meet that year. Donna also won both the Massachusetts Northern Area and Governor Dummer Invitational regional meets. On the Massachusetts state level she placed 6th her junior year and 5th her senior year and was named to the Massachusetts Cross Country All-Star team.
In Track, she also excelled. She won all the regular season dual meets in the 880-yard run in her 4 years at AHS and served as team captain her sophomore, junior, and senior year. Donna was named MVP in 1973, 1974, and 1975. At graduation she held the AHS records in the 880 yard run, 80 yard low hurdles, high jump, and as a member of the 880-yard medley team. Her 880-yard run school record still stands today. On the regional level she was selected as the Haverhill Invitational Top Female Athlete and the WNBP of Newburyport Outstanding Athlete. In Massachusetts, Donna twice was the Division III 880 yard run champion and was 3rd overall in the state. To cap her senior season she drew national recognition as she was named an Athlete of the Year by “Coach and Athlete” magazine and was named to the High School All-American team.
Coach Dave Bailey shared the following:
“Donna was a great athlete for Amesbury High School. In my opinion, she was the most talented distance runner I have ever seen in Amesbury High School history. It wasn’t just her ability as a runner it was her work ethic, training regimen, determination, and persistence during the events in which she competed. She holds the record in the 880 yard run, but most times she won easily. You noticed the real competitiveness in the 4 x 440 relay. She would be running the anchor leg and be behind by 40 to 50 yards or more. She would just track the runner down and win the relay most of the time. I wish she had run the mile and 2 mile in Track. I believe she would have set records in these events during her time.“
Coach Bailey also shared a family story that was summarized as follows:
“Even today, if you are racing against her, don’t be wearing purple shorts or a maroon and gold uniform – You have no chance of beating her.”
Teammate Sue Darbyshire offered her perspective:
“I gained skill and confidence in the different events by watching and learning from Donna. Her patience and encouragement of me and the rest of our teammates was inexhaustible. She taught me how to run in spike shoes, make a hand-off while running full speed, and throw my body up and over a high bar. Little did we know how useful those skills would be out in the adult world of work. Donna’s focus and determination were a joy to experience. Watching her run was a highlight of our high school meets.
Few runners – either male or female – could beat her. What should be added to the record is the lesson she helped share and shared with us: Teamwork and looking out for one another are equally important to the outcome of the race.”
Congratulations to inductee Donna Randall, Class of 1975!
