Salute to Seniors: Third Wave


Name: Kylie Quinn

School: New Bloomfield R-III


Q: What does your training look like right now given the current situation?

A: With the restraints put in place due to COVID-19 I'm currently spending a lot of my time at the different tracks in Jefferson City trying to get some running time in. Along with that I've been doing a lot of abs and arm workouts while quarantined in my house. 

Q: What are you doing to stay busy other than run right now?

A: Other than running I've been focusing on getting my school work completed whether that's with college classes or regular class work activities. Not to mention I have gotten some extra movie watching time as well.  

Q: What was your most memorable race/moment?

A: My most memorable moment during Track and Field was my junior season while running the 4x8 at districts. The entire season I had been trying to beat a certain time but could never seem to get there. Finally, at that districts race I had finished and been told that I had finally reached my goal. 

Q: What was the funniest thing that happened during your running career?

A:The funniest thing that I have experienced within my time doing track and field would be at the Blair Oaks meet when I was nervous about my hurdles race. This is when another teammate proceeded to explain to me that if she could do it I definitely could too. At that exact moment she began running for that hurdle and instead of successfully clearing it trampled over the hurdle with everyone watching. 

Q: Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?

A: The biggest competition I still have to this day would be myself. I have constantly challenged myself personally within every race. 

Q: What was your greatest accomplishment?

A:The most important accomplishment that I have successfully completed throughout the years of doing Track and Field would be connecting my teammates. Even though race accomplishments are important as well, I feel that to have a supportive team and great friends to look back on is just as equally important. 

Q: If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?

A: The one thing I would change would be finding that one event I love sooner. I felt like throughout the years I kind of switched through events to see which was my favorite. However, if I would have focused solely on one event I could have been 10x better than I have been. 

Q: What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

A:The most difficult obstacle would be trying to accept my personal times instead of always getting down. I should be happy about a big PR instead of always expecting more of myself. 

Q: What will you miss the most?

A: The thing I will miss the most is the teammates and wonderful coaches that have helped me along the way. I will miss the memories created along the long run days as well. 

Q: What advice would you give to younger athletes?

A: The biggest part of advice I would give to the younger athletes is to never accept where you are at that given moment. There's only 4 years given to you that you can reach your goal so why not work to become the best. Never take a day off and always try to better yourself without excuses. 

Q: What kind of an impact has your coach had on you and your team?

A: My coach has been the biggest inspiration for both myself and the team. He has pushed each and everyone of us to become the best version of ourselves both in and out of the school environment. He has personally encouraged me to do things that I never thought I would do in a million years. He always has the best quotes and speeches to motivate the team to perform their best. With that being said he treats every single athlete like his own and spends many hours looking at stats and times. 

Q: What are your college plans?

A: I plan to attend the University of Missouri to major in Business Management. I'm going to engage within the Air-Force ROTC program while I'm attending Mizzou as well.

Q: Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?

A: I'd like to give an enormous thank you to my parents that have supported me throughout everything along the way, the coaches that have coached me throughout the journey, all of the other parents that have cheered me on and treated me like their own, and to all of the friends I have made along the way.