Sportsbeat by Peter Jakey
Inner voice stronger than the pain
The tournament trail has taken me to two totally different venues during the last week. The first was Michigan International Speedway, while the other was the Atlanta Elementary School gym for Class D district volleyball.
If you want to talk about a contrast, there couldn?t be a better example. MIS has mountainous stands that make for a great backdrop for the runner during their special trip to state. In Atlanta, even though it is an elementary gym with about five or six rows of stands from the floor to the wall, it is perfect for Class D volleyball. The fan turnout from both towns was surprisingly low. What was going on back in Posen?
There were probably more reporters covering the cross country state finals at MIS than were paying customers in Atlanta for volleyball playoff action. The game manager in Atlanta told me there were 38 fans in attendance for the game and one was my son. He was there to spend my money, though.
There easily could have been a let down after clinching the school?s first volleyball North Star League title last week. Not this group. The Viking players didn?t seem fazed in the least, as they whipped Fairview.
The big story from MIS this past Saturday was not where senior Kaylee Kreft finished at the Division 4 state track meet, but that she finished at all. At regionals, family members wanted to carry her to the school bus after she qualified for her third state finals appearance. She wasn?t having any of it. The voice in Kaylee?s heart wouldn?t let her quit, or turn down the opportunity to participate in the finals. Her inner voice and desire to run was stronger than the pain.
Here?s an interview I had with her, shortly after her final race. Q. When you were out there, were you in pain as you were running, as you hit that leg every time?
Kreft: ?Yeah.?
Q. Everytime?
Kreft: ?Yeah. It hurts when I?m running but when I stop it really kicks in.?
Q. What drove you to keep competing?
Kreft: ?It?s the last one. Even though it hurts, it gives you a feeling of accomplishment each time.?
Huron head coach Rob Kortman said Kaylee ran with ?a lot of determination. It takes a lot to keep your conditioning up when you are not able to run and put the mileage in.? Her father, Randy, said ?I?m glad she made it to state. She finished the race and did the best she could do.?