State Feature 2021: Bailey, Kittner are headed to state track & field championships
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Whiteoak Wildcats are set to send two athletes to the OHSAA Division III State Track and Field Championships, and in doing so, they’ve broken a streak of multiple years of not having a state qualifier in either the boys or girls program.
In the boys event, Whiteoak will have senior Nick Bailey competing in two events, with those being the long jump and the 100-meter dash. For the girls, junior and first-year track runner Lydia Kittner qualified for state in the 400-meter dash.
Kittner and Bailey were both SHAC Track & Field Athletes of the Year and All-District members, as both were also named the Division III SE District Track Athletes of the Year.
“One thing about both of them — we say it all season long, we’ve said it over and over — is that if you put somebody beside of them on the line, they’re going to give it all, everything they’ve got,” Coach Kim Roush said of both athletes. “They’re just mental competitors.”
Starting off with Bailey, he’s a multiple-sport athlete in his four years at Whiteoak, with the senior also spending time competing in basketball and baseball at various times the past four years, as well as running cross-country in junior high.
In track and field, Bailey got his start by watching his sister (Kensley) compete in the sport.
“I saw my sister running, and I saw how well she did and how much she liked it,” Bailey said. “I was like, maybe I should try that. I kind of fell in love with it after that. She was a quarter-inch away from making state.”
When asked about favorite moments from his senior season, Bailey spoke about the team and his teammates.
“Probably when we had our thrower (Coleman Hofer) come in and run on our 4x1 team. He never runs, or hardly ever runs. He came in and was our third leg, and he just killed it,” Bailey said. “The look on everyone’s faces afterward was just priceless. It was so funny.
“Everybody was shook. It was great. This is when we had a meet at Lynchburg. Once he got done, he was like ‘I just had a burger too,’ so I’m surprised he didn’t (get sick). I was like, wow. Maybe we need to feed him a burger before every meet.”
Bailey continued to speak about the team and what this season has meant to him.
“Just how hard our team works, really,” Bailey stated when asked what stands out this season. “That’s really about it. And our coaches. They put in a lot of time for us. We can’t waste it. We’ve got to do something with it. That’s what leads to the success — working our butts off.”
Both coaches spoke highly of Bailey and how he’s been a leader for the team in 2021, as coach Brian DeAtley said Bailey is “a great kid.”
“He’s just been a pleasure to work with. The thing that stands out the most to me is he has totally taken on the senior leadership role. He is the first one packing things out to the bus, all the equipment. He gets all the other kids to help,” Roush said. “He drove to every single junior high meet after we had practice, went to the infield or went to the fence, cheered those kids on, gave them pointers or held blocks.
“We try to create a family atmosphere on our team — and we definitely have that, all of us — but that kind of leadership goes a long way with that. Those younger kids look to him, and honestly, it has helped him to grow as an athlete, I think. I think that’s one reason he’s had such a good season, because he’s got a lot of positivity, and I think he’s been able to make that work for him.”
Bailey has not only competed in the two events for which he qualified for state, but he’s also competed in the 200m and 400m as along with the 100m and long jump, those were his four main events. He also tried the 300m hurdles and high jump events.
“At first, I didn’t even want to try the 200 or the 400, but Coach like drilled it into my head. She was like, ‘you need to try these, you’ll be really good at them.’ I guess after my stubbornness went away, I settled for it and then worked on them and took off from there,” Bailey said.
Getting to the state championships was a goal of Bailey’s since the start of the season.
“At the beginning of the season, I said I wanted to qualify for something. It didn’t matter what it was, I just wanted to qualify in one,” Bailey said. “I loved (this season), every second of it. I loved it, definitely. Just the environment we had during the season was one-of-a-kind.
“It was great. Especially since I was a senior, this is the last time I’ve got to run with my team, so I’ve got to embrace it.”
Being a state qualifier in the long jump event, the Whiteoak senior Bailey said that was the event he had the most improvement in this season.
“I just had to work on that one (long jump) the most because my steps were off, bad,” Bailey said. “I kept jumping off on the wrong foot. Then when I finally got to the right foot, and started jumping off on that one consistently, it was like a sigh of relief because it took forever to get down.”
For his events at state, Bailey is ready to compete with the top athletes from Division III in Ohio and enjoy every moment of his last athletic event as a Wildcat.
“Just to see all the best people in the state go at it and soak all that in will be pretty cool to see,” he said. “I’ve just got to get out there and push and try my best, and I’ll be happy with whatever I do.”
Kittner joined the Whiteoak track and field program this season, and she’s already became a state qualifier in the 400m dash, an event she’s improved three seconds on since the start of the 2021 season.
“I’ve been probably running since I was 12 or 13. My uncle runs marathons, so he kind of is the one who got me into running,” Kittner said. “He ran with me once, and the love for running started there. I don’t keep up with him when he runs, though. Cross-country was just a wonderful idea since I love running.”
In what was her first season with the Lady Wildcats track program, Kittner described her season as one that has gone “really well.”
“We were really glad to have a season, since last year we didn’t have one. I was going to do it [run track] last year, but that obviously didn’t happen. It’s just been really fun, you know, seeing everyone get better throughout the season,” Kittner said. “At our first meet to now, we’re a lot better than we were, all of us. It’s cool to see that happen.
“We’ve had a really fun season. Everybody’s done really well. Obviously, it’s my first season, so I don’t really know that much about track, but it couldn’t have gone any better. I was very surprised [to make state].”
Not only did Kittner compete in the 400m dash, but she’s also competed in the 100m dash, 800m dash and high jump events.
“I started with high jump, and I’m not very good at that, so halfway through we decided long jump is the better thing for me,” Kittner said. “Since I’ve done cross-country, I’ve always wanted to try a shorter race, so I always wanted to just try the 100, just to see what I could do. It’s been kind of fun, because I’ve never raced in that short of a race before.
“Obviously, the 800 and quarter mile are a little longer, which feels a little more natural for me, probably. High jump has so much technique, I was like, I don’t even know where to start.”
DeAtley said that Kittner’s athleticism is evident in the fact that she competes in everything from the 100-meter dash to cross-country running.
“She’ll finish top of the pack in cross-country, which is very unusual for those distance people [to do sprints],” DeAtley said. “The 100, she was hundredths of a second away from qualifying. They’re two different skill sets.
“She is such a competitor. I think we could put her in any event and she’s going to work hard enough to PR, which will win league and those kinds of things.”
Roush agreed and also praised Kittner for her positive attitude on and off the track.
“She is the only athlete I have ever seen that can run a 400 or an 800, cross the line and still be smiling,” Roush said. “She will win it, PR and smile and be right there to high-five everybody else. I’ve never seen that.”
Being it was her first year in varsity track competition, Kittner said she wanted to become a state qualifier, but said “it wasn’t a goal” at the start of the season.
“I wouldn’t say it was a goal, but I was really hoping to. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go to state, so of course I was hoping to,”she said. “I’m very glad I made it. I definitely wanted to do my best. I have actually a goal, I want to get my 400 in a minute. I haven’t done that yet, but I’m very, very close. I always have next year to do that too, but at some point I’d like to.”
With this being her first trip to state, there is a lot of excitement for the junior runner.
“Probably just I guess the experience of being there. Of course, getting a shirt that says state so I can wear it around,” Kittner said of what she’s excited the most for this weekend at state. “Just doing my best. It’s really cool to be competing with girls that are so fast and such good competitors, because getting that many fast girls all together is just really cool. I’m very honored to run with all of them, and I know everybody’s out there doing their best.”
Both Kittner and Bailey wanted to thank their family, friends, coaches and all the supporters from their community and surrounding area.
The Division III Track & Field Championships will be held at Westerville North on Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5.
In the boys event, Whiteoak will have senior Nick Bailey competing in two events, with those being the long jump and the 100-meter dash. For the girls, junior and first-year track runner Lydia Kittner qualified for state in the 400-meter dash.
Kittner and Bailey were both SHAC Track & Field Athletes of the Year and All-District members, as both were also named the Division III SE District Track Athletes of the Year.
“One thing about both of them — we say it all season long, we’ve said it over and over — is that if you put somebody beside of them on the line, they’re going to give it all, everything they’ve got,” Coach Kim Roush said of both athletes. “They’re just mental competitors.”
Starting off with Bailey, he’s a multiple-sport athlete in his four years at Whiteoak, with the senior also spending time competing in basketball and baseball at various times the past four years, as well as running cross-country in junior high.
In track and field, Bailey got his start by watching his sister (Kensley) compete in the sport.
“I saw my sister running, and I saw how well she did and how much she liked it,” Bailey said. “I was like, maybe I should try that. I kind of fell in love with it after that. She was a quarter-inch away from making state.”
When asked about favorite moments from his senior season, Bailey spoke about the team and his teammates.
“Probably when we had our thrower (Coleman Hofer) come in and run on our 4x1 team. He never runs, or hardly ever runs. He came in and was our third leg, and he just killed it,” Bailey said. “The look on everyone’s faces afterward was just priceless. It was so funny.
“Everybody was shook. It was great. This is when we had a meet at Lynchburg. Once he got done, he was like ‘I just had a burger too,’ so I’m surprised he didn’t (get sick). I was like, wow. Maybe we need to feed him a burger before every meet.”
Bailey continued to speak about the team and what this season has meant to him.
“Just how hard our team works, really,” Bailey stated when asked what stands out this season. “That’s really about it. And our coaches. They put in a lot of time for us. We can’t waste it. We’ve got to do something with it. That’s what leads to the success — working our butts off.”
Both coaches spoke highly of Bailey and how he’s been a leader for the team in 2021, as coach Brian DeAtley said Bailey is “a great kid.”
“He’s just been a pleasure to work with. The thing that stands out the most to me is he has totally taken on the senior leadership role. He is the first one packing things out to the bus, all the equipment. He gets all the other kids to help,” Roush said. “He drove to every single junior high meet after we had practice, went to the infield or went to the fence, cheered those kids on, gave them pointers or held blocks.
“We try to create a family atmosphere on our team — and we definitely have that, all of us — but that kind of leadership goes a long way with that. Those younger kids look to him, and honestly, it has helped him to grow as an athlete, I think. I think that’s one reason he’s had such a good season, because he’s got a lot of positivity, and I think he’s been able to make that work for him.”
Bailey has not only competed in the two events for which he qualified for state, but he’s also competed in the 200m and 400m as along with the 100m and long jump, those were his four main events. He also tried the 300m hurdles and high jump events.
“At first, I didn’t even want to try the 200 or the 400, but Coach like drilled it into my head. She was like, ‘you need to try these, you’ll be really good at them.’ I guess after my stubbornness went away, I settled for it and then worked on them and took off from there,” Bailey said.
Getting to the state championships was a goal of Bailey’s since the start of the season.
“At the beginning of the season, I said I wanted to qualify for something. It didn’t matter what it was, I just wanted to qualify in one,” Bailey said. “I loved (this season), every second of it. I loved it, definitely. Just the environment we had during the season was one-of-a-kind.
“It was great. Especially since I was a senior, this is the last time I’ve got to run with my team, so I’ve got to embrace it.”
Being a state qualifier in the long jump event, the Whiteoak senior Bailey said that was the event he had the most improvement in this season.
“I just had to work on that one (long jump) the most because my steps were off, bad,” Bailey said. “I kept jumping off on the wrong foot. Then when I finally got to the right foot, and started jumping off on that one consistently, it was like a sigh of relief because it took forever to get down.”
For his events at state, Bailey is ready to compete with the top athletes from Division III in Ohio and enjoy every moment of his last athletic event as a Wildcat.
“Just to see all the best people in the state go at it and soak all that in will be pretty cool to see,” he said. “I’ve just got to get out there and push and try my best, and I’ll be happy with whatever I do.”
Kittner joined the Whiteoak track and field program this season, and she’s already became a state qualifier in the 400m dash, an event she’s improved three seconds on since the start of the 2021 season.
“I’ve been probably running since I was 12 or 13. My uncle runs marathons, so he kind of is the one who got me into running,” Kittner said. “He ran with me once, and the love for running started there. I don’t keep up with him when he runs, though. Cross-country was just a wonderful idea since I love running.”
In what was her first season with the Lady Wildcats track program, Kittner described her season as one that has gone “really well.”
“We were really glad to have a season, since last year we didn’t have one. I was going to do it [run track] last year, but that obviously didn’t happen. It’s just been really fun, you know, seeing everyone get better throughout the season,” Kittner said. “At our first meet to now, we’re a lot better than we were, all of us. It’s cool to see that happen.
“We’ve had a really fun season. Everybody’s done really well. Obviously, it’s my first season, so I don’t really know that much about track, but it couldn’t have gone any better. I was very surprised [to make state].”
Not only did Kittner compete in the 400m dash, but she’s also competed in the 100m dash, 800m dash and high jump events.
“I started with high jump, and I’m not very good at that, so halfway through we decided long jump is the better thing for me,” Kittner said. “Since I’ve done cross-country, I’ve always wanted to try a shorter race, so I always wanted to just try the 100, just to see what I could do. It’s been kind of fun, because I’ve never raced in that short of a race before.
“Obviously, the 800 and quarter mile are a little longer, which feels a little more natural for me, probably. High jump has so much technique, I was like, I don’t even know where to start.”
DeAtley said that Kittner’s athleticism is evident in the fact that she competes in everything from the 100-meter dash to cross-country running.
“She’ll finish top of the pack in cross-country, which is very unusual for those distance people [to do sprints],” DeAtley said. “The 100, she was hundredths of a second away from qualifying. They’re two different skill sets.
“She is such a competitor. I think we could put her in any event and she’s going to work hard enough to PR, which will win league and those kinds of things.”
Roush agreed and also praised Kittner for her positive attitude on and off the track.
“She is the only athlete I have ever seen that can run a 400 or an 800, cross the line and still be smiling,” Roush said. “She will win it, PR and smile and be right there to high-five everybody else. I’ve never seen that.”
Being it was her first year in varsity track competition, Kittner said she wanted to become a state qualifier, but said “it wasn’t a goal” at the start of the season.
“I wouldn’t say it was a goal, but I was really hoping to. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go to state, so of course I was hoping to,”she said. “I’m very glad I made it. I definitely wanted to do my best. I have actually a goal, I want to get my 400 in a minute. I haven’t done that yet, but I’m very, very close. I always have next year to do that too, but at some point I’d like to.”
With this being her first trip to state, there is a lot of excitement for the junior runner.
“Probably just I guess the experience of being there. Of course, getting a shirt that says state so I can wear it around,” Kittner said of what she’s excited the most for this weekend at state. “Just doing my best. It’s really cool to be competing with girls that are so fast and such good competitors, because getting that many fast girls all together is just really cool. I’m very honored to run with all of them, and I know everybody’s out there doing their best.”
Both Kittner and Bailey wanted to thank their family, friends, coaches and all the supporters from their community and surrounding area.
The Division III Track & Field Championships will be held at Westerville North on Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5.