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Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Kaylee Nystrom, Havre X-Country

HHS's Nystrom pushes the pace

For some people, running is very difficult. For others, it comes naturally and with the way Kaylee Nystrom has run the past two years for the Havre Blue Pony girls cross country team, she seems like one of those naturals.

Nystrom is a three-sport athlete at Havre High, competing not only in cross country, but basketball and track as well. Nystrom has played varsity basketball the past two seasons for Havre and was a distance runner for the track team last spring.

The senior, who is now one of the leaders of the Havre cross country team, didn’t come out for the sport as a freshman or sophomore. But then, as a junior, in an effort to stay in shape for basketball, Nystrom joined the team and right from the start, it was a perfect fit.

“I just really needed to get in shape for basketball and my coaches and coach Holt told me I should do it,” Nystrom said. “And I had some friends on the team, so that helped. But I am glad that I did. It’s been a good thing.”

While Nystrom had a lot of people influence her to run cross country, one of the strongest was her sister Kaitlyn Nystrom. Like Kaylee, Kaitlyn went to Havre High, graduating a couple of years ago. She was a varsity volleyball player for the Ponies and competed in track but never ran cross country. Yet, when Montana State University-Northern created a team, Nystrom approached coach Chad Spangler and was given a chance to be on the team. And she has done well ever since, until recently suffering an injury.

“That really showed me that if she could do it, I could do it,” Kaylee Nystrom said. “I saw her doing that at the college level, which is a big jump, so I knew that I could do that, too, and that really made me want to push myself even harder.”

In her first season running for the Ponies, Nystrom showed dramatic improvement from the start of the season to the finish. Eventually, she would become Havre’s No. 2 runner and at the 2016 Class A state meet, she was the Ponies’ second-highest finisher, ending up 39th following a time of 20:53.

As a senior, Nystrom has put together another strong campaign. She has multiple Top-5 finishes and just last week, was third at the Central A Fall Classic. Now, Nystrom and her teammates are turning their focus to the Class A state meet this weekend in Helena at the Bill Roberts Golf Course.

But before Nystrom and the Ponies head to Helena, the Havre Daily News caught up with her for five questions.

HDN: What do you think has been the key to your improvement in cross country?

Nystrom: “I am not sure. I guess I am just someone that has always really tried to push myself. I have always wanted to make myself better and that goes for every other sport, too.”

HDN: Do you like running or do you just do it to stay in shape?

Nystrom: “I actually like it a lot. I like that it makes you push yourself. It’s different and I like doing new things and trying to make myself better and running really helps a lot.”

HDN: What’s it like to compete at state cross country?

Nystrom: “It’s a different kind of sport; you are on your own. It’s not like a basketball game where there are a lot of people cheering you on or even track, where there is people in the stands. You are just kind of out there on your own and that’s kind of cool.”

HDN: How do you think your experience at state will help you?

Nystrom: “I think just with my nerves and things like that, just knowing how to handle it. I think it will help that I know the course, too, and I will know what to expect because that course has some really tough hills.”

HDN: What is your goal at state?

Nystrom: “I don’t really have a goal in terms of placing, I just try to go out and get a personal record. That is the goal of every runner in every race. So that is what I am looking to do.”

 

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