Yreka cross country runner undaunted by rare eye disease: 'The mindset is everything'

Yreka senior cross country runner Mattie Whipple kept a steady pace during a late summer rain that came down the course at Shasta College on the morning of Sept. 1.

Whipple had little trouble maneuvering past her fellow competitors and teammates despite her vision being compromised. She dealt with the potential pitfalls and elements on the soggy 3-mile course, using her spatial awareness and athleticism.

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"She's not worried about who wants to beat her," Yreka coach David Tafoya said. "She just wants to win and has that passion behind her. Whatever is bothering her that day, she puts it behind and goes out and runs."

Whipple has blossomed into one of the fastest runners in the CIF Northern Section.

"At the end of last year I realized I was 10 seconds away from chasing the school record," Whipple said. "I've been trying to push myself harder so I could break that record."

Whipple continues to improve as a runner despite being diagnosed with a lifelong condition that dramatically altered her vision starting in elementary school.

She was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a rare genetic affect that causes the center of the retina to worsen throughout her life. Just 30,000 people in the United States are known to have Stargardt disease, according to the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

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Whipple wears specially designed glasses that protect her eyes from ultraviolet rays.

Whipple's performance hasn't dwindled in the classroom or the track despite her inability to see objects clearly. She uses the application Magnifier on her phone to complete homework assignments and read books.

Whipple holds a 4.1 grade point average and won the Mount Shasta Cross Country Invitational, beating out defending section champion and second place finisher Elle Merrill by 31 seconds on Sept. 15.

But how was Whipple diagnosed with such a rare disease in the first place, and how has it affected her everyday life outside of school? And how has she become so dominant after finishing third in last year's CIF Northern Section Final?

It's time to examine how teammates, coaches and a tenacious attitude have helped pave Whipple's road to success.

Too many facial knocks leads Whipple's family to investigate

Whipple was a fifth grader playing basketball at Big Springs Elementary in 2017 when her vision problems began.

She had always been a coordinated athlete who could score baskets, hit fastpitch softballs and was pretty much skilled in any sport she tried.

But then her vision issues began to show. Whipple was playing a basketball game when a chest pass was thrown her direction. She never saw the ball coming. The incident left Whipple with a bloody nose.

"When it first started, a ball would go up in the air, my eyes couldn't pick up on it and it would just disappear," Whipple said. "Then it would reappear and it would hit me in the face multiple times."

More accidents soon followed. Fly balls that were once routine became difficult and Whipple kept getting plopped in the face. Her father Monte Whipple and mother Darbi Zediker scrambled to find answers.

Whipple attended four different eye centers before her diagnosis was confirmed.

Finding independence outside of the field and classroom continues to be a challenge.

"I can't get my license," Whipple said. "I live 20 minutes away from town and that's kind of frustrating. I can't always come in to do stuff with friends and that's annoying."

Whipple continues to perform multiple sports at a high level despite her condition. Whipple is a varsity soccer player and plays midfielder for Yreka. She can juggle the ball at her feet and still locate crosses and passes to teammates.

Having core strength and muscular legs allows Whipple to perform cartwheels without her hands touching the ground. She also works on her family's 320 acre ranch in Montague tending to the livestock that live on the property.

"My family has really good genetics," Whipple said. "My mom was a good distance runner and my dad was a sprinter. That's blessed me a lot because I got the middle of both of them. I have endurance and speed."

The Broccoli King helps Whipple improve

Whipple has received coaching during the offseason by her fellow teammate and senior Henry "Broccoli King" Baun.

Baun earned the moniker Broccoli King due to his top level fitness and clean eating habits. He claims to have stayed true to a diet of meat and vegetables, not consuming a single potato chip since the sixth grade.

Baun's performance lived up to his nickname winning the CIF Northern Section title in 2022 by six seconds and placing 11th of 201 runners at the CIF State Division IV Championships in Fresno.

Whipple began training with Baun more exclusively during this past summer.

"I started practicing with the boys on our team and it's made it a lot easier with them because it's harder competition," Whipple said. "

Baun explained how Whipple's poise on the track has improved and is leading to more first place finishes.

"She's realizing that this is her last shot at getting the goals she's had all season," Baun said. "She wants to be the CIF Northern Section champion and she is going to do everything she can to make that happen."

Whipple's leadership plays role in helping teammates push past limits

Whipple's attitude and spirit has allowed other Yreka runners to perform at higher levels.

Junior Aiden Masson is one of the athletes who has benefitted from emulating Whipple's training and running patterns.

Masson dropped his personal records by more than a minute after running in the 20-minute range in 2022.

"She really helps motivate everybody," Masson said. "I see her helping out a lot with the girls side and pushing them at their limits just like Henry (Baun) does with us. She reminds me to take deep breaths which is very motivating."

Baun said Whipple's attitude boosts the collective confidence and focus of the Yreka runners.

"The mindset is everything," Baun said. "When you have more than one person that wants to get after the goals they set for themselves for the past four years, it makes you want to chase your own goals. That mindset is really good for the team."

Whipple's goal is to become a college cross country runner. It doesn't matter what her eyes see. Her dedication to training and improving teammates is making any goal Whipple chases possible.

"The key is staying positive," Whipple said. "Everyone's moods affect each other so if people are positive and working harder, it's going to influence the rest of the team."

Ethan Hanson started working for the Journal & Courier in West Lafayette, Indiana after four years at the Record Searchlight in Redding, California. He previously freelanced with the Los Angeles Daily News for four years. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @EthanAHanson and Instagram at @ethan_a_hanson.