Caney Valley (OK) sophomore Allie VanDenDriessche has been selected as a Bartlesville Area Sports Report’s Area Game Changer.
Photo courtesy of Sydney Hodge
By Becky Burch
Oct. 30, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Caney Valley (OK) sophomore Allie VanDenDriessche makes a habit of pushing past perceived limits. As a multi-sport student-athlete who balances cross country, basketball, and track with membership in the National Honor Society, her approach to competition relies heavily on mental toughness.
That dedicated mindset makes her the latest featured standout in Bartlesville Area Sports Report's Area Game Changer series. The twice-weekly showcase highlights dynamic competitors across 12 area schools who transform their teams through leadership, effort, and heart.
When looking back at her running career so far, VanDenDriessche points to the Sequoyah Claremore meet as a defining performance. It was a race where she locked in and achieved her personal best time.
"I ran my best time and pushed myself to run the race I know I could," VanDenDriessche said.
Before she ever steps up to a starting line, the sophomore grounds herself alongside her teammates. The program's pre-race rituals help build the close bond that makes running for the Trojans unique.
"My favorite thing we do before a race is the prayer circle," VanDenDriessche said. "I give all my thanks to God and I am grateful he gives my body the strength to go run."
Off the course, VanDenDriessche finds a similar outlet for focus in the classroom. Her favorite subject is English, which provides a natural space to process her experiences.
"I like writing because it is a way to express myself," VanDenDriessche said. "I can take my thoughts and put them on paper easier than I can speak."
Her commitment to helping others shows in her free time, which she often spends horseback riding or tutoring neighborhood children. That passion for mentorship directly aligns with her long-term goals after high school graduation. She plans to attend college and pursue a career working directly with athletes, helping kids learn about sports and train their bodies safely.
As she continues her sophomore season, VanDenDriessche hopes to pass down the exact mentality that keeps her moving forward to the younger runners rising through the Caney Valley program.
"The advice I would give to younger athletes is that your body should quit before your mind," VanDenDriessche said. "The pain won’t go away, you have to learn to grow with it and use it as motivation."
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PAST AREA GAME CHANGERS:
-Wyatt Mathis (Bartlesville)
-Marshal McDaniel (Dewey)
-Madie Nachbor (Bartlesville)
-Marcus Bryan (Copan)
-Colson Jernigan (Bartlesville)
-Macee Secondine (Copan)
