Perseverance sends Hurley to state championships
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
"Perseverance" is a word that can be thrown around for many but isn't truly achieved.
That doesn't apply to McClain freshman Kaylee Hurley, who will participate in four wheelchair events at the 2014 Division II State Track and Field Championships this Saturday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Hurley didn't always have to race in a wheelchair.
"Three years ago, on Dec. 13, I had a spinal cord stroke, and it left me an incomplete T9 paraplegic," Hurley said.
An "incomplete paraplegic" means that "some function below the level of injury is retained," according to brainandspinalcord.org.
Though she may have lost her ability to race on foot, that doesn't mean she can't race and battle against the competition. She uses the situation she's been given as inspiration.
"It is extremely encouraging when you get ready to cross the finish line because some people are inspired by it," she said. "You get cheers whether they are from your school or not, and that is really encouraging."
This season for Hurley, her first season competing at the high school level has been one of improvement from the start of the season until now as she prepares for the state track & field events.
She last competed three weeks ago where she raced her way to state qualifying times at the West Holmes Invitational.
"I had to get back into the swing of things with the break, but as the season has gone on, my times have improved by about 10 seconds," Hurley said. "I've learned a lot this season. It is a lot different from middle school with a lot tougher competition, but it has been fun.
"I'm pretty nervous about the state atmosphere since I've never been to one before."
[[In-content Ad]]Hurley will compete in the 100-meter, 400m and 800m racing events, along with competing in the shot put event as well.
In the 100m race Hurley had a qualifying time of 23.92, followed with a 400m time of 1:31.92 and her 800m time is 3:22.75. Her shot put throwing distance is 11-06.75.
The 400m race is her favorite.
"The reason I like the 400 the best is that it's not a sprint," she explained. "The sprint is hard to get started, and the 800 is a lot of work, but the 400 … it is just right.
"I'm still working on figuring out my timing in the 400. I go about the same speed all the way around, but I push it the last 100."
McClain girls track coach Lori Jones spoke about the improvement of Hurley this season.
"She's improved tremendously," Jones said. "Last year in middle school, she was trying to get a feel for it and see if she liked it, to now knowing if she had a certain time she would qualify for state.
"Going into the season, she was getting used to things. The key was what to focus on. The first thing was getting fast, to getting efficient. Again, the improvement has been tremendous. The other day in practice, she turned the corner, and just being able to stay in the lane with the speed showed that improvement."
Even with the spinal injury, Hurley has raced against footed runners all but once this season. There is no need to feel like she was at an unfair disadvantage, because to her she was just getting better, and striving to be her best against the competition she was faced with.
"It is intimidating going against other runners, but it has helped make me better," she said. "At state, though, I am excited to get to go against other runners, so we'll be at the same skill level, so I am looking forward to that.
"The first time I competed against other wheelchair athletes, I was nervous, but I did pretty well. I got first in all of my events."
Jones spoke of all the effort Hurley puts into the events.
"You see the bruises and blisters on her hands, and you think 'man, she's really going at it,'" Jones said. "She's had a goal, and that's what she's worked for all season, and we are excited to see what she can do against more competition.
"It will be good to see her against more of that competition. She's not out here to just to be here, she's out here because she wants to compete and she wants to do well. She's been here every day working."
Hurley also described how she uses the race chair in her events.
"I have to use a lot of back muscles as opposed to arm muscles," she said. "I still use my arm muscles, but there are a lot of back muscles used as well. The use of the back muscles are a lot more than what I'm used to in my regular chair.
"When I go around a turn, it has a set turn and it goes around, then I have a set turn for the straightaway as well."
There is no doubt there is a difference for Hurley when she races footed runners compared to other wheelchair athletes.
"I like competing against regular runners because I push myself harder," Hurley said. "I know my skill level is different from theirs, but I want to get to where they are at, so I push myself harder.
"With the wheelchair competition, it is more endurance, but I still push myself on that, because they are at the same skill level and that's where I can tell where I am at."
It is all about upper body strength, and Hurley agreed with the question of needing upper body strength to compete at a high level in the wheelchair events.
"Absolutely," she said. "I worked a lot on the distance with Coach (Steve) Roble, and in the weight room, I do a lot of free weights, working on my biceps."
With her physical strength, mixed with an unstoppable work ethic and attitude Hurley has raced so much this season she even wore out her racing gloves this season.
The blisters she's earned on her hands are the results of the hard work she's put in on the track and the weight room. Hurley said it is all "worth it."
"The gloves were completely torn up from this season," she said with a smile. "They have a lot of miles on them, but it is all worth it."
Hurley has one goal in mind as she sets out for Columbus, and remember, she's had a three-week break since her last competition.
"I just want to win … really bad," she said. "When I practice, I imagine someone in front of me, and that keeps me going. I wish I had more races against others instead of just practicing."
Jones said Hurley has put in the work that she wants to see in all athletes.
"She came in this past Saturday because she wanted to get in the extra work," Jones said. "She does the extra little things that you want to see all athletes do. She goes above and beyond, and all of that with a great attitude."
Hurley wants more wheelchair athletes to compete in track & field next season, as she said when asked what she would say to those who are undecided about competing.
"Do it … you won't regret it, not at all," she said. "It is really fun, intimidating, a lot of work, but I'm glad I've done it, and like I said before … it is all worth it."
That doesn't apply to McClain freshman Kaylee Hurley, who will participate in four wheelchair events at the 2014 Division II State Track and Field Championships this Saturday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Hurley didn't always have to race in a wheelchair.
"Three years ago, on Dec. 13, I had a spinal cord stroke, and it left me an incomplete T9 paraplegic," Hurley said.
An "incomplete paraplegic" means that "some function below the level of injury is retained," according to brainandspinalcord.org.
Though she may have lost her ability to race on foot, that doesn't mean she can't race and battle against the competition. She uses the situation she's been given as inspiration.
"It is extremely encouraging when you get ready to cross the finish line because some people are inspired by it," she said. "You get cheers whether they are from your school or not, and that is really encouraging."
This season for Hurley, her first season competing at the high school level has been one of improvement from the start of the season until now as she prepares for the state track & field events.
She last competed three weeks ago where she raced her way to state qualifying times at the West Holmes Invitational.
"I had to get back into the swing of things with the break, but as the season has gone on, my times have improved by about 10 seconds," Hurley said. "I've learned a lot this season. It is a lot different from middle school with a lot tougher competition, but it has been fun.
"I'm pretty nervous about the state atmosphere since I've never been to one before."
[[In-content Ad]]Hurley will compete in the 100-meter, 400m and 800m racing events, along with competing in the shot put event as well.
In the 100m race Hurley had a qualifying time of 23.92, followed with a 400m time of 1:31.92 and her 800m time is 3:22.75. Her shot put throwing distance is 11-06.75.
The 400m race is her favorite.
"The reason I like the 400 the best is that it's not a sprint," she explained. "The sprint is hard to get started, and the 800 is a lot of work, but the 400 … it is just right.
"I'm still working on figuring out my timing in the 400. I go about the same speed all the way around, but I push it the last 100."
McClain girls track coach Lori Jones spoke about the improvement of Hurley this season.
"She's improved tremendously," Jones said. "Last year in middle school, she was trying to get a feel for it and see if she liked it, to now knowing if she had a certain time she would qualify for state.
"Going into the season, she was getting used to things. The key was what to focus on. The first thing was getting fast, to getting efficient. Again, the improvement has been tremendous. The other day in practice, she turned the corner, and just being able to stay in the lane with the speed showed that improvement."
Even with the spinal injury, Hurley has raced against footed runners all but once this season. There is no need to feel like she was at an unfair disadvantage, because to her she was just getting better, and striving to be her best against the competition she was faced with.
"It is intimidating going against other runners, but it has helped make me better," she said. "At state, though, I am excited to get to go against other runners, so we'll be at the same skill level, so I am looking forward to that.
"The first time I competed against other wheelchair athletes, I was nervous, but I did pretty well. I got first in all of my events."
Jones spoke of all the effort Hurley puts into the events.
"You see the bruises and blisters on her hands, and you think 'man, she's really going at it,'" Jones said. "She's had a goal, and that's what she's worked for all season, and we are excited to see what she can do against more competition.
"It will be good to see her against more of that competition. She's not out here to just to be here, she's out here because she wants to compete and she wants to do well. She's been here every day working."
Hurley also described how she uses the race chair in her events.
"I have to use a lot of back muscles as opposed to arm muscles," she said. "I still use my arm muscles, but there are a lot of back muscles used as well. The use of the back muscles are a lot more than what I'm used to in my regular chair.
"When I go around a turn, it has a set turn and it goes around, then I have a set turn for the straightaway as well."
There is no doubt there is a difference for Hurley when she races footed runners compared to other wheelchair athletes.
"I like competing against regular runners because I push myself harder," Hurley said. "I know my skill level is different from theirs, but I want to get to where they are at, so I push myself harder.
"With the wheelchair competition, it is more endurance, but I still push myself on that, because they are at the same skill level and that's where I can tell where I am at."
It is all about upper body strength, and Hurley agreed with the question of needing upper body strength to compete at a high level in the wheelchair events.
"Absolutely," she said. "I worked a lot on the distance with Coach (Steve) Roble, and in the weight room, I do a lot of free weights, working on my biceps."
With her physical strength, mixed with an unstoppable work ethic and attitude Hurley has raced so much this season she even wore out her racing gloves this season.
The blisters she's earned on her hands are the results of the hard work she's put in on the track and the weight room. Hurley said it is all "worth it."
"The gloves were completely torn up from this season," she said with a smile. "They have a lot of miles on them, but it is all worth it."
Hurley has one goal in mind as she sets out for Columbus, and remember, she's had a three-week break since her last competition.
"I just want to win … really bad," she said. "When I practice, I imagine someone in front of me, and that keeps me going. I wish I had more races against others instead of just practicing."
Jones said Hurley has put in the work that she wants to see in all athletes.
"She came in this past Saturday because she wanted to get in the extra work," Jones said. "She does the extra little things that you want to see all athletes do. She goes above and beyond, and all of that with a great attitude."
Hurley wants more wheelchair athletes to compete in track & field next season, as she said when asked what she would say to those who are undecided about competing.
"Do it … you won't regret it, not at all," she said. "It is really fun, intimidating, a lot of work, but I'm glad I've done it, and like I said before … it is all worth it."