Personal Profile: Tell us about yourself! Don’t be afraid to brag.
My name is Kelsey Burrow (previously Carbajo), and I am the head boys and girls cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at Olathe West High School in Olathe, Kansas. I am entering my 10th year teaching and coaching at Olathe West. Prior to Olathe West, I taught and coached at Olathe Northwest for two years.
I am incredibly proud of what our program has accomplished over the past decade. Since starting the Olathe West Cross Country program, we have built a tradition of excellence both on and off the course. Our girls cross country team has won five consecutive Kansas 6A State Championships, and our boys team has consistently competed at a high level, including 5th- and 3rd-place finishes at State. As a program, we have earned 37 individual State cross country medals, including one State Champion, Braxton Theel. Over the past 10 years, our Cross Country and Track & Field programs have brought home eight State Championships.
Coaching distance runners has become a huge part of who I am, and I feel incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to coach alongside my sister, Macy, and Todd Klamm for all of these years. Since we started this program, our goal has always been simple: have fun, make a ton of memories, and run fast. I am incredibly proud of the culture we have built and continue to build year after year.
Outside of coaching, I am a Special Education teacher at Olathe West, and I also help lead our school’s leadership program.
I recently got married this past summer to my husband, Eric, who also teaches and is the defensive coordinator for the football team at Olathe West. Outside of school and coaching, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, running, and being outdoors. Coaching and teaching are such a huge part of my life, and I feel very fortunate that I get to do what I love every day.
What is your high school/college athletic background?
I attended Spring Hill High School, where I played volleyball and ran cross country in the fall, played basketball, and ran track in the spring. I went on to Grand View University to play volleyball and compete in track & field, and eventually joined the cross country team, where I ran for two years. During my time at Grand View, I had the opportunity to qualify for Nationals in both cross country and track. I am incredibly thankful for my experience at Grand View, because it taught me the value of high standards, hard work, and being part of a winning culture.
How do you feel about the current state of cross country here in Kansas? What is something you’d change about cross country in Kansas? In the U.S.?
I feel like cross country in Kansas has improved tremendously since I first started coaching. Not only have the times become more impressive, but our running community has grown as well. I especially love seeing all of the shout-outs and recognition on social media. I think it has brought our running community closer together and created a culture where kids are genuinely celebrating the successes of other athletes and teams. That is really cool to witness.
I think our sport continues to get better because we are willing to evaluate what we are doing and look for ways to improve. I really like the new regional qualifying format for State Track, and I am excited that we are trying something different with cross country this year as well. I believe that putting the best individual runners and teams on the line at the State Meet will only continue to elevate Kansas running.
Overall, I am very proud to be a Kansas cross country coach. We have an incredibly strong running community, and I am excited to see where our sport continues to go!
What is/are your top XC coaching/athletic memory(ies)?
Each season brings different memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life, so this is a difficult question to answer. We really try to center our seasons around making memories, and I hope our athletes look back on their time in our program and realize how many lifelong memories they made along the way. Some of my favorite moments include hugging and celebrating after a State Championship, qualifying for NXN, all of our travel trips, and so many other moments that happen throughout a season.
Two memories that really stick out to me:
1. Winning our first State Championship by two points.
The moment we found out we had won our first State Championship is something I will never forget. We all circled up as a team and waited for the results to be announced. When the results came out and we realized we had won by just two points, everyone went absolutely crazy. It was such an incredible way to end that COVID season. That season had so many highs and lows for our girls, and to see them finish on such a high note was incredibly special.
2. Traveling to NXN for two years.
Getting to travel to NXN for two consecutive years will always hold a special place in my heart. The girls who qualified are such incredible humans, and getting to spend that time with them, travel together, and experience something so special was an incredible opportunity. I have so much love for those girls, and those trips created memories that I know I will carry with me forever.
Ultimately, the relationships and memories are what make coaching so special to me. The championships are amazing, but getting to experience those moments together with kids who become a part of your life is what I will remember most.
What is your favorite meet that your team goes to and why?
I’m not sure I have one specific favorite meet. Honestly, all of our travel meets would probably fall into the favorite category because I love taking adventures with our team and finding new places to run, eat, and explore together. When we travel, we really try to create experiences that our kids may not have had before. Whether it’s finding a new trail to run, trying a local restaurant, or finding a fun place to go sightseeing, we want our travel meets to be about more than just the race.
Some of my favorite memories have come from those trips and the time we get to spend together outside of competition. Those experiences are a huge part of what makes coaching so special to me.
What’s your go-to workout for your team?
A go-to workout for our team has always been some variation of hills. We try to embrace hill running and develop a healthy relationship with hills, since our State Course is filled with them. We want our athletes to LOVE the hills so that when they get to State, they are excited and ready for the challenge rather than intimidated by it.
What’s the best high school race you ever saw/were a part of?
There are several meets that have incredible atmospheres, but I would probably have to go with the Chile Pepper Festival. I love the energy of the meet, with the DJ, music blaring, and everyone having a great time. Our kids have performed really well there, but just as importantly, they have had a blast dancing, singing, and enjoying the experience together. It is one of those meets where you can really feel the excitement surrounding high school cross country.
I also have to mention being part of Nike Cross Nationals, which was an incredible experience. They absolutely spoiled our kids with gear and hospitality, and getting the opportunity to watch our athletes race against the best runners and teams in the nation is something I will never forget. Both experiences remind me how special our sport can be and how much fun it is to be part of the cross country community.
Describe/explain a fun tradition your team does or maybe even one you’ve witnessed another team do that promotes a positive team culture.
Our summer trip to Bridge 23 Camps in Norwalk, Iowa, has become a tradition for our team. It is a great opportunity for our kids to bond with their teammates, for our coaches to have one-on-one meetings with each athlete, and for us to bring in guest speakers to inspire our team.
Taking a large group of high school athletes on a trip definitely comes with challenges, but we have experienced far more positive moments than negative ones. These trips have helped strengthen the relationships within our team and have created some of our favorite memories over the years. I truly believe that the time we spend together outside of practice and competition is a huge part of building the culture we want within our program.
20 years from now, describe high school XC. What changes do you think will be made different from today? Faster Times? Different Distances? Rule changes? Anything else?
Wow, that’s an interesting question! I would imagine that times will continue to get faster and that more people will become involved in running. The growth of social media has already had a huge impact on our sport, and I think it will continue to introduce more young people to running and help them find a love for the sport.
I also hope that, as a state, Kansas continues to evaluate our sport and make decisions that put the best individual runners and teams on the starting line at the State Meet. I think continuing to evolve and improve our championship experience will only help Kansas cross country grow.
As for what the sport will actually look like 20 years from now, I have no idea! There may be different distances, new ways of qualifying, or rule changes that we can't even imagine yet. Whatever it looks like, I just hope I am still coaching in 20 years so I can see how our sport continues to evolve and grow! 🙂
Who has been influential in your running/coaching career?
Running Career
I first got into running because my aunt always told me I would be good at it. She has a way of convincing people that they can do things they never thought were possible. She was the head coach at Maranatha High School and ran several marathons, so I decided to give running a try in middle school.
Once I got to high school, I decided to play volleyball and run cross country at the same time. My high school coach, Brent Smitheran, would get up and run with me in the mornings so that I could go to volleyball practice after school. I definitely didn't appreciate that sacrifice as much when I was younger as I do now! I owe him SO much for keeping me interested in running and pushing me to stay competitive in the sport.
And, of course, I have to mention my parents. They pushed me to my limits and taught me how to balance schoolwork, athletics, and my social life. I am very thankful for the tough love I received from them growing up. I would not be where I am today without their support and guidance.
Coaching Career
When I first got into coaching, I had a vision of creating a program built around high standards and a championship mentality. As a young coach, I started reaching out to some of the most successful coaches in the area and asking if they would be willing to meet for dinner and drinks to talk about cross country and coaching. I was incredibly fortunate that so many of them were willing to share their time and knowledge with me.
I want to give a huge shoutout to Justin Wrigley, Chris McAfee, Aaron Davidson, and Levi Huseman. These guys were more than willing to help me as a young coach, and I credit a lot of what I know about coaching distance runners and building a successful program to the conversations and relationships I have with them.
I also come from a family of coaches. Both of my parents, as well as several of my aunts and uncles, have been involved in coaching. It is pretty special to have a family that understands what coaching means and is always in my corner, cheering me on and motivating me to continue to be the best coach I can be.
I have been incredibly fortunate to have so many people invest in me throughout my running and coaching career. I truly believe that the coaches who have influenced me have helped shape not only the coach I am today, but also the kind of person I want to be for the athletes I coach.
Personal Profile: Tell us about yourself! Don’t be afraid to brag.
My name is Kelsey Burrow (previously Carbajo), and I am the head boys and girls cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at Olathe West High School in Olathe, Kansas. I am entering my 10th year teaching and coaching at Olathe West. Prior to Olathe West, I taught and coached at Olathe Northwest for two years.
I am incredibly proud of what our program has accomplished over the past decade. Since starting the Olathe West Cross Country program, we have built a tradition of excellence both on and off the course. Our girls cross country team has won five consecutive Kansas 6A State Championships, and our boys team has consistently competed at a high level, including 5th- and 3rd-place finishes at State. As a program, we have earned 37 individual State cross country medals, including one State Champion, Braxton Theel. Over the past 10 years, our Cross Country and Track & Field programs have brought home eight State Championships.