This spring, former track head coach Tony Crough handed off the baton to a new head coach, Kip Keeley, who brings in his coaching experience as an assistant track coach and an assistant football coach.
“It has been a learning curve, but it has gone well,” Keeley said. “We have had great improvement for the athletes and have had great weather and meets.”
Senior Taevian Maupin-Dabney has participated in track all four years of high school.
“Since I started track and field, Coach Crough has been the one to guide me during the seasons, so it is tough not having him here,” Maupin-Dabney said. “The transition to the new head coach has been a big change, but that said, Coach Keeley has shown strong dedication to the team, and instead of focusing the athletes solely on their preferred events, he encourages us to explore multiple events to score more points for the team.”
Keeley said that he and his assistant coaches make sure their athletes get to be involved in an event they want to be involved in but also make sure to push the athletes to try new events.
“We let the athletes do what they want to do, then from there, we will step in to help the athletes find a great event for them and the team,” Keeley said.
For Keeley’s first challenge, the track teams attended a meet in McCook, Neb., on April 7. The meet was originally scheduled for April 4, but forecasts predicted blizzard conditions in that area for that day, so the McCook athletic director postponed the meet to another day. Seeing this, some coaches dropped their teams from the meet, but Keeley said he was fine with rescheduling and was determined to win it. Overall, the boys won first place with 153.5 points, and the girls got third place with 121 points.
Maupin-Dabney said he did some of his favorite events in McCook.
“I compete in the 400-meter and 800-meter events, as well as their respective relay races, contributing to both individual and team performances on the track team,” Maupin-Dabney said.
With more than 110 track athletes, Keeley tries to connect with all of them
“I have got to know a lot about the athletes on the team, but it is different with every athlete,” Keeley said.
With the season nearing its end, the coaches and the athletes have put many hours into getting prepared for the Western Athletic Conference meet on May 15, regionals on May 23, and hopefully, state on May 30.
“I believe Coach Keeley is deeply committed to giving this team everything it needs to succeed,” Maupin-Dabney said. “He consistently shows that he is willing to do whatever it takes to help us reach the top. That is what makes Hays High a stronger team.”
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