Paris High graduate has podium finish in University of South Dakota Track and Field event

By Casandra Turnbull

Some tough obstacles both on and off the field have helped a Paris High School graduate grow academically and excel athletically during her junior year at the University of South Dakota. With another school year in the books, Kenzie Campbell, who is majoring in nursing in the United States, is looking forward to her final year of school in the fall. Learning to balance her life in class and on the field was a real challenge this year but through it all she was able to develop and master some new time efficiency skills which were critical in allowing her to juggle a hectic schedule consisting of her clinicals three days a week and honouring her commitment as a member of the University’s Women’s Track and Field team. She finished the year off with a silver medal in the Hammer (throwing) event during the School’s Conference Championships

“I would be up for clinical at 4:30 am and not get done with track until 6:30 pm and still have homework to do I learned how to prioritize my sleep and recovery for track. I had to sacrifice many things just to stay on track with my schooling and training,” said Campbell in an email to the Paris Independent. She credits coach Kyle Long for helping her best manage her practice days to maximize her potential without leaving her exhausted Taking a different approach, the duo would sometimes leave out weightlifting from practice, an unusual move for most track and field competitors, but what’s the sense in pushing a body that’s already exhausted following long clinical hours?

PHDS graduate and former Paris Figure Skating Club member Kenzie Campbell showing off her silver medal from the Hammer throwing event at the University of South Dakota’s Conference Championships.

“Mentally this spring semester I grew a lot as I learned how to step away from school and take a break to reset,” she said. And by stepping away from school, she didn’t mean throwing in the towel or trying less, it meant realizing no one is perfect all the time and recognizing when it’s okay to close the books and take a mental break. “In the fall I tried to do as much as possible to get the best grades, but it was mentally exhausting on myself In the spring I learned more time efficient ways to study that would allow me to still have a life outside of school and track.” Continued

She set the athletic bar high during last year’s indoor championship where she obtained a personal record of 19.44m in the weight, which helped her finish fourth place at the conference level. Unfortunately, as she started her pre-nursing classes last spring and her track record struggled and she didn’t progress to her full potential, finishing eighth in hammer throw at the outdoor championships

This year, with life under control academically, and a well-established routine, Campbell set out to try and meet some personal goals she set for herself on the field. But life had a funny sense of humour and she encountered another hard lesson –things don’t always go according to plan. “This year I had a fire to place at indoor championships as I knew I was very capable, and my throwing was improving but a week before I suffered a back spasm that left me sitting in pain and agony until the indoor championships and I just struggled through to get 4th place again but with a shorter distance ” To transition to outdoor track, she made sure to focus on back rehab so she could hit the ground running. With determination and perseverance at the forefront, Campbell started to