Name: Elise Kaiser
School: Hesston High School
Q: What does your training look like right now given the current situation?
A: Given the current situation, I am still striving to be somewhat in my normal routine. Our track coaches have offered to give us workouts and our strength and conditioning coach has uploaded daily workouts that we can do at home. My goal is to continue to do a running workout of sometype everyday during the week to still keep normalicy in my schedule.
Q: What are you doing to stay busy other than run right now?
A: I have three younger siblings so we have been having a lot of family time right now. I love being active and being outside so playing basketball outside since the gyms are closed, going on bike rides, and taking walks are keeping me busy.
Q: What was your most memorable race/moment?
A: The most memorable race of my career was the 3A 4x400m race at the state track meet. Last year on the third day of the state track meet, my teammates and I became state champions and we broke Hesston High School's record for the girls 4x400m with a time of 4:04.68..jpg)
Q: What was the funniest thing that happened during your running career?
A: I don't think I can pick only one funny moment throughout my high school track career because there are way too many, but my teammates and I were really close and our practices in itself had some of the funniest moments.
Q: Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
A: I have participated in a lot of events throughout my track career but my favorite and main race was the 400m. I got to run against a lot of competitive runners beginning with my Freshman year at the state track meet but one competitor that I really respect is Matti Price. She won state last year in the 400m and is going to run at Pitt next year and I look forward to seeing all that she accomplishes at the collegiate level.
Q: What was your greatest accomplishment?
A: My greatest accomplishment in my track career would definitely have to be winning state last year in the 4x400m. I was the anchor leg and nothing compares to crossing the finish line realizing that our team won state for the first time while I was in high school.
Q: If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
A: I would not change anything about my running career in high school. If I could have changed one thing, it would have been to just remember to go out and have fun during every race. Sometimes my competitive side with reaching the times I wanted would get in the way of enjoying every little moment with my teammates and coaches.
Q: What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
A: Starting my seventh grade year, I became very prone to pulling my hamstring and quad muscles at the beginning of every track season during our sprinting workouts. My sophomore year, our sprinting coach thought it was a great idea to do hill sprints when it was very cold outside and that was the start of pulling my right quad and then shortly after I pulled my left quad. My sophomore track season resulted in running with two pulled quads and my right quad has had a permanent indention in my quad muscle ever since.
Q: What will you miss the most?
A: I am going to miss every aspect of track and field, including the track meets, practices, and moments made with my teammates and coaches. I will probably miss competing as an athlete at the state track meet the most, nothing compares to that environment and experience.
Q: What advice would you give to younger athletes?
A: I would encourage younger athletes to always remember to have fun and to be thankful to have the opportunity to compete when you are given the chance. To not take your teammates and coaches for granted because you never really know when your last race or game will be with them.
Q: What kind of an impact has your coach had on you and your team?
A: I have had quite a few track coaches throughout my track career, but my high school sprint coach Shannon Rewerts has made the most impact on me. He was dedicated to push my teammates and I to accomplish goals that we did not even realize we were fully capable of. He specifically helped me believe in myself and showed that he truly cared which has made an impact on me for the rest of my life.
Q: What are your college plans?
A: I am going to attend Newman University in the fall to continue my basketball career and I will be majoring in pre-med to continue my education.
Q: Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?
A: I would like to say "thank you" to my family as a whole. I would not be the person I am today without my parents, siblings, and grandparents. I ran my first track meet when I was five years old and I would not have the passion and love for the sport of track and field if it was not for the opportunities they sacrificed for me.
Q: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A: I am extremely thankful to have had the opportunities I have been blessed with to compete as a track and field athlete for the past 13 years. Thank you to my coaches, teammates, and the community of Hesston for supporting me throughout my four years at Hesston High School.
Q: Favorite Meal?
A: If I can choose anywhere to go to eat, I always choose to go to Doc Greens.
Q: If you could be any animal what would you choose? and why?
A: My favorite animal has always been giraffes so I guess I would be that animal. They are fairly calm and friendly and I consider myself to be a very confident and friendly person.
Q: Your favorite superhero?
A: My real life superhero and role model in my life is Allyson Felix. I have looked up to her since the 2012 Olympics in London and she embodies never giving up until you have reached your goals.