Anne St. Geme

Steve Virgen

Before Anne St. Geme competed in the 1,600 meters at the CIF Southern

Section Masters Meet, her name was announced followed by a play on

words.

“Annie St. Geme, another gem for Corona del Mar Coach Bill

Sumner,” the announcer said. St. Geme, pronounced “gem” as in the

jewel, should probably get used to those type of puns. That’s among

the lofty expectations for the CdM freshman.

Within the past two weeks, when St. Geme has been making more of a

name for herself, T-shirts have been made for her friends and

teammates.

“Team Annie,” the front of the shirt reads. And on the back: “What

a Geme!”

Geme backed up that proclamation with her performance in the

Masters Meet at Cerritos College May 30. The Daily Pilot Athlete of

the Week finished with the second-best time of her young career,

5:00.44. But more impressively she passed two runners during the

final 200 meters to grab the fifth and final qualifying spot to

advance to the CIF State preliminaries, which are Friday at Cerritos

College.

“By the end of the week, I know that the state meet is going to

come,” St. Geme said. “I think I’m ready though, and I’m actually

more excited than ever. I really do have nothing to lose. I feel that

I’m in shape and I can do anything I set my mind to.”

So much has played into the progress and notoriety of St. Geme.

For one, her talent could be found in her genes, as her mother, Ceci,

was the 1982 NCAA champion in the 3,000 meters while at Stanford, and

her father, Ed, played football for the Cardinal. St. Geme has also

developed her athleticism through soccer, which she has played for

the better part of her life. Third, and most favorable for the Sea

Kings, a seemingly perfect union of runner and coach came together in

St. Geme and Sumner this season.

“I love coaching high school,” said Sumner, the longtime CdM

coach. “Then you get somebody who walks in and just loves what they

are doing like her. She’s like a treat. It’s very easy to coach her.

That’s the fun about [coaching]. There are some kids who put too much

pressure on themselves, but that’s not her.”

St. Geme really does not need to put pressure on herself. The

pressure has mounted naturally. Ever since she finished second in the

1,600 meters in a then-personal-best 5:07.77 at the Arcadia

Invitational April 12, local media and opposing coaches have been

expecting more success from the freshman phenom.

She has been conquering goals and overcoming challenges, Sumner

said.

“After the Arcadia Invitational people started to ask me if she

could do five flat [finish in 5:00] this season,” Sumner said. “She

did it [in the CIF Southern Section Division III finals, finishing

second in 5:00.14]. She made me look like a genius.”

In most people’s eyes St. Geme had her coming-out party at the

Arcadia Invitational, but Sumner saw St. Geme, the real athlete, come

to form two weeks later at the Orange County Championships.

“She was a little hesitant in the [1,600],” Sumner said. “[The

other runners] took off and left her. She finished in 5:13.07 and she

wasn’t happy with that. So, in the 800 she just went after it. [She

finished in a personal-best 2:19.75]. That’s when you could tell that

this kid is tough. She wasn’t going to take that.”

Throughout the season, St. Geme has seen Sumner’s Wall of Fame,

which features individual CIF Southern Section division and state

champions from CdM. She nearly made the wall, but finished less than

a second behind first place in the CIF Southern Section Division I

finals. However, she still has three years to achieve the feat.

“I saw [Sumner’s] Wall of Fame,” St. Geme said. “He said one day I

would be there. I want to be there. I have some big shoes to fill.”

And an expectation to be a gem.