Life High School Oak Cliff track star Elijah Sheppard-Ruth will be staying close to home for the next phase of his blossoming career.
Sheppard-Ruth, who competes in the 100M dash and the 4×1 and 4×2 relays, has signed to attend the University of North Texas at Dallas.
“Congratulations to Life High School Oak Cliff senior Elijah Sheppard-Ruth on accepting a scholarship to join the Track & Field team,” the school posted on its website.
The 5’7”, 155 pound speedster recently made the decision to give up football and focus on track and field. His decision proved to reap big dividends for Oak Cliff.
Sheppard-Ruth ran the third leg on the third-place finishing (42.85) UIL 3A Region 11 State Championships relay team, an event where he also posted his personal best in the 100-meter at 11.06 in his final race.
Sheppard-Ruth also maintained a 3.2 GPA. In the future, he plans to become an entrepreneur, lured by the thought of being his own boss.
As a senior, Sheppard-Ruth faced more adversity as the COVID-19 pandemic waged war, with a measure of it hitting close to home for him.
His grandfather suffered declining health related to the virus, and Sheppard-Ruth was also forced to deal with his own nagging sports injuries.
“He comes to practice every day with a smile on his face and that takes resiliency,” Life School Oak Cliff track coach Marquis Simpson told BestSouthWestGuide.com. “Through the midst of it all, he is still able to maintain his grades and character.”