Kelsey Chambers - Photo by Lance McDaniel
This is the ninth in a series of previews on West Virginia High School boys’ and girls’ cross country for the 2013 season.
Athlete: Kelsey Chambers
Year: Senior
School: Oak Glen High School (Class of 2014)
Location: New Cumberland, WV
Class: AA Girls
Pre-Season Rank: West Virginia #14; Class AA/A Girls #1
Coach: Adam Howell
Personal Bests:
800 Meter Run - 2:27.25
1,600 Meter Run - 5:20.09
3,200 Meter Run - 11:45.74
5,000 Meter Run - 19:19.27
Athletic Honors:
2013 WV Track All-State First Team – 800M (2:27) 4th Place; 1600M (5:25) 4th Place; 3200M (11:52) 5th Place
2012 WV Track All-State First Team – 1600M (5:28) 4th Place; 3200M (11:53) 2nd Place
2011 WV Cross Country All-State First Team – 9th Place (20:34)
Kelsey Chambers, a senior at Oak Glen High School, is the pre-season WV#14 and #1 Class AA/A Girl ranked runner. She looks to build upon her junior year in cross country and track.
Cross Country: In October, Kelsey ran a PR of 19:19.27 at the Cal Pokas OVAC (Ohio Valley Athletic Conference) Championships to place ninth; a 21:15.13 at the WV Group AA-A Region I for fourth. In November, Kelsey ran a 21:45.00 at the Foot Locker South Regional for 85th.
Outdoor Track: In April, Kelsey was third in a PR of 5:20.09 in the 1,600 at the OVAC 1A-2A, 4A Qualifying Meet and ran a new season best time of 11:46.41 for third in the 3,200 at the same meet. In May, Kelsey ran a PR of 2:27.25 for fourth in the 800, a 5:25.29 in the 1,600 for fourth and an 11:52.36 in the 3,200 for fifth at the West Virginia State Track & Field Championships.
Kelsey Chambers 5,000 meter career graph
About:
When did you start running track or cross country?
I started track in 7th grade and cross country as a freshman.
What sports did you participate in when you were younger?
I played soccer in elementary school.
Do you have one race or personal record time you are most proud of?
My sophomore year of XC at the state meet. It was when I got All-State, and it was a life changing day for me because it made me realize how much potential I had, and it encouraged me to work even harder.
What are your goals for you and your team this XC season? After the regular XC season is over, will you take part in any Foot Locker Championships or the Nike XC race?
I have many goals for myself this season, but my biggest ones would be to break 19 minutes and to win XC states as an individual. It’s been a dream of mine to win states since my freshman year. Our big team goals for the season would be to get 1st or Runner-Up at Regionals and advance to the state meet, then hopefully go for top 6 as a team there. I will most likely be going to Foot Locker again this year and possibly run the elite race, depending on how the season goes.
Do you plan on running in college?
Yes!
Who is the most influential person in your running career?
Definitely my coach, Adam Howell, because he has pushed me to every one of my goals and never stopped believing in me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.
Chambers 2013 Cross Country Schedule:
Saturday – August 24th – Autumn Classic at St. Marys, WV
Saturday – August 31st – Geico Classic Invitational at Ona, WV
Saturday – September 7th – Chic-Fil-A Invitational at Mineral Wells, WV
Wednesday – September 11th – Quad Meet (Home) at Tomlinson Run State Park
Saturday – September 14th – Spartan Invitational at Boardman, OH
Wednesday – September 18th – Brooke Invitational at Brooke High School
Saturday – September 28th – John Marshall Invitational at Moundsville, WV
Saturday – October 5th – OVAC – Meadowbrook HS at Byesville, OH
Saturday – October 12th – Wild & Wet Invitational at Cameron, WV
Thursday – October 24th – Regionals at Mineral Wells, WV
Saturday – November 2nd – West Virginia HS State Cross Country Championships at Ona, WV
Saturday – November 30th – Foot Locker South Regional Cross Country Championship at McAlpine Greenway Park at Charlotte, NC
A Final Thought:
At last year’s West Virginia High School AA/A Girls Cross Country State Championship, Kelsey Chambers got an injury in the middle of the state meet race. It was about 1.5 to 1.8 miles into the race when she fell and had to drop out. Kelsey had been running in fourth place and looked to be a top 10 finisher up until that point. Chambers' goal is to come back with a bang and win her first individual AA/A girls cross country state championship.
Despite Chambers' temporary setback, she can bounce back to greater heights than before. I am reminded of a quote that I used to tell my runners: “A winner isn’t someone who falls down the least, but the one who picks himself or herself up one more time than the competition.”
Kelsey Chambers will be battling Allison Villars of Philip Barbour (Class AA/A #2) and Marissa Long of Philip Barbour (Class AA/A #3) for the individual title.
Will Kelsey Chambers win her first individual AA/A girls cross country title? Will she prove that she deserves her pre-season ranking?