Rest is history for this sophomore

After leading Geneva to a second consecutive state championship, sophomore Kelly Whitley has been named The Beacon News Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year.
Heather Eidson / Staff Photographer

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Geneva sophomore Kelly Whitley is not one to rest on her laurels.

Just a week after leading the Vikings to their second consecutive Class 3A state cross country title, the tireless harrier was at it again, pacing her team to another victory -- this time in the Nike Team Nationals Midwest championship. That results earned the Vikings a trip to the national finals in December.

"We all worked hard for this," she said. "It will be a whole new experience, and we are all really excited."

Whitley also finished first in the West Aurora Regional and St. Charles East Sectional -- as did her team.

For her accomplishments this season, Whitley has been named The Beacon News Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year, making her a repeat selection for the award.

"It's rewarding and exciting," she said of the honor.

Said Geneva coach Bob Thomson: "This year she has the experience to go with the talent. Last year, she snuck up and every race was a learning experience. This year, everyone knew who she was."

With a target on her back and that of her teammates, Whitley set out to prove she was not prone to any "sophomore jinx." She picked up where she left off, winning race after race.

"She digs deeper and puts it into the next gear," Thomson said.

In a prime example of her mental toughness, Whitley spent the latter half of last season outpacing her pack and going it alone the final half-mile of races. At the beginning of the 2007 season, she and teammate Liza Tauscher gutted it out together, but as the season progressed, Whitley found herself alone as she sprinted toward the finish line.

"Running is mentally tough when you are by yourself," she said. "I like running a lot better with a partner."

With the addition of transfer student Sarah Heuer, Whitley found a training partner and someone to hang with her in the closing meters of a race. Heuer, a senior, finished just one second off Whitley's pace to finish third at the state meet.

"We both helped each other and pushed each other through workouts and races," Whitley said. "It helped our team a lot."

One of the reasons the Vikings have been so successful is that it is a team effort, and although she is the brightest star on a talented squad, Whitley prefers talking about the "we" and not the "me."

"Kelly is a quiet role model," Thomson said. "She is not the most vocal, she doesn't ask too many questions; she is very friendly and well-liked by her teammates and foes. She understands the team aspect."

That's helpful when she laces up her high-tops and sprints onto the basketball court during her "offseason."

As a point guard for the sophomore girls basketball team, she is able to work a different set of muscles, run in short bursts, use different cognitive functions and stay in shape for track in the spring -- all while having fun.

"It's a nice break," she said. "I am on the sophomore team, so it is not as intense (as varsity cross country). It's really fun; it's a different atmosphere and I really enjoy it."

"Stepping away from a sport can make all of the difference," Thomson said.

Although she is busy studying defensive strategies and perfecting her shot, running is never too far from her mind.

With the Nike National Championships slated for Dec. 6 in Portland, Ore., the energetic teen is trying to juggle basketball, cross country and homework.

"I am trying to fit it all in," she said, with a thick novel in her lap. "It's hard, but it's worth it."

If all goes as planned, Whitley may be clutching another team trophy before she can even drive.

But who needs a car when you can run like she can? Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year