SPOTLIGHT: Fullerton Hornets' Kaitlyn Holt

NAME: Kaitlyn Holt

SPORT: Cross Country

ACHIEVEMENTS:

Athlete of The Year (2016), Scholar Athlete, Most Improved, Highlander Award 

Who got you into Cross Country and when did you start playing?

My mom signed me up for a summer cross country program. The Coach invited me to join his private junior team, “The Equalizers”, in 5^th grade to 8^th grade. From there I went to La Habra High School and ran on the team all four years, and now I am running my second year at Fullerton College.

If you weren't playing Cross Country, what other sport would you want to play at the college level?

At a college level I would be interested in gymnastics, swim, or possibly basketball.

What makes Coach Gina Bevec and Coach Sean Sheil the type of coach you love to play for?

I love running for my Coaches because they both push and motivate me to do my best. The motivate each of us individual, which helps us do better when it comes to working as a team to do our best together. Also they always manage to crack a joke or two and talk to us on long runs to make the time pass on distance runs.

What are you majoring in and what's your favorite class?

I am majoring in Physical Therapy. My favorite class currently is Kinesiology because I find it the most fascinating, how it relates to how movement affects peoples physical and mental mindsets in their lifestyles.

What is your perfect pre-game meal?

My perfect pre-game meal is an acai bowl, particularly from Nature’s Juice.

Walk us through your pre-game warm up.

My pre-game warm up is to listen to music on the way to the meet, once we are there I walk the course with my teammates, then I prep my shoes and number to race, then I go on a 2-3 mile warm-up, and right before the race I finish by running a few strides from the start line.

What are the first 3 songs on your pre-game playlist?

It’s Your Life by Francesca Battistelli

Soul on Fire by Third Day

Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson

What do you enjoy doing on your day off?

On my day off I enjoy going surfing, hiking or spending time with my family and friends.

Who on the team are you closest with?

I am closest to my friend Daniella because we went to middle school together so we have known each other for a long time, we are also always there for each other and supportive of each other. I am also close with Cassidy, I have only known her about a year but we both started on the team together and we became friends right away. It is hard not to be not close with my teammates, with all the runs we do and time we spend together, we are all good friends and we all support and are there for each other.

What is your leadership style?

My leadership style is to stay organized, have multiple goals, and to be supportive and motivational to my team. I find this important because it encourages everyone to do their best even when things become challenging, it is even a reminder to me that we can get back up and become stronger.

Once you're done at Fullerton College, what do you want to be remembered as?

I want to be remembered as someone who never gave up on herself or her team no matter how many challenge’s we encountered, that I made my team proud, that I was motivational to my teammates, and that I will always be friends with my teammates.

What is the plan once you graduate?

Once I graduate my plan is to go to Cal State Long Beach or Cal State Fullerton to complete my major of physical therapy, and hopefully continue my cross country running career at the school as well.

What do you want to say to the fans who have watched you play during your time at Fullerton College?

I would want to say thank you to everyone that supported me, my family, and friends, to my teammates for always being there for me every step of the way, and to my coaches that continued to push me to reach new personal records and just do my best for my team. I am just so grateful to have spent the last two years with this team that is so close and supportive, I am so proud of each of them, they are my running family.

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