BY SABRINA ROBERTSON

THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT

NATCHEZ — Cathedral High School freshman Barrett Burget proves almost every day he can run the distance in more ways than one.

Burget, the son of Heather and Brad Burget, is the top runner in the freshman class Division 4A and the fastest swimmer on Cathedral’s swim team.

Burget said he has a personal best of 18 minutes and 53 seconds in the 5K run and can swim a 50-yard lap in the pool in 37 seconds.

“I joined the swim team to build myself up as a runner, but turns out I’m OK at that too,” Burget said.

In sunshine or rain, Burget said he runs between six and seven miles each day at practice on every day of the week except Sunday.

With all the time invested in running, he said his team and even his coach, Tommy Smith, have become more like family than a team.

“Coach Smith is more like the weird uncle in the family,” Burget said with a laugh. “Weird uncle Tommy. He pushes us really hard but is also there for us if anyone is feeling down.”

Besides running, Burget said he enjoys paintball and engineering.

When he graduates, Burget said he would like to join the United States Air Force.

“Planes interest me,” he said.