Kate Hall has already established herself as the greatest ever from the state of Maine in the long jump and 55 meter dash after winning performances of 19'11" (US #1) in the long jump and 7.01 in the 55 meter dash at last weekend's Rhode Island Classic to establish new Maine state indoor high school records in those events. After finishing 7th in the long jump at both the New Balance Indoor Nationals and New Balance Outdoor Nationals, the Lake Region junior Hall is looking to show her rare talent from the state of Maine beyond her state borders and beyond even the New England region to compete for All-American honors and national titles at season's end.
Despite being diabetic, Hall has been able to overcome that health obstacle and continue to get stronger each year of high school as she credits a lot of her recent development and success to her personal trainer Chris Pribish. With the unbearable winters in Maine making training outdoors virtually impossible, Hall keeps herself in excellent shape for indoor season doing a lot of extra complimentary work in the gym indoors beyond what most high school track athletes do in their weekly training on the track. MileSplit US was able to interview the current US leader in the girls long jump Hall coming off setting two Maine state indoor record last Saturday in Rhode Island.
Video of Kate Hall's US #1 19'11" Long Jump at the Rhode Island Classic
MileSplit US Interview with Lake Region High School (ME) junnior Kate Hall
MileSplit US: Two Maine state records in 2 weeks in the long jump and 55 meter dash. What does it mean to you to be now considered as your state's best athlete ever in those two events?
Kate Hall: It's so hard to believe that I'm the best in the state ever for those events. I think about it all of the time, but it's still not processing in my mind. It's so hard to think about because I feel like just a normal girl that lives in Maine and does track. Achieving this status means so much to me not because I get to say I'm the best ever in the state, but because I've been able to help other athletes around Maine improve and love the sport more. Inspiring people and being apart of the reason why they want to get better is the best feeling in all of this by far.
MileSplit US: Up in Maine, you have some pretty rough winters and makes it tough training outdoors I'm sure. How are you able to stay in such great shape and sharp for meets during the indoor season?
Hall: Training outside really is never an option for me in the winter time in Maine because it would be as simple as not warming up properly for me to pull a muscle. Considering that, most people think it's impossible to train in Maine if I can't run outside, but all you really need is a weight room and an indoor facility to run in. Most practices I'm training in the weight room, and two days a week I run at an indoor track.
MileSplit US: Which performance are you most impressed or proud of yourself so far this season and why? The 7.01 in the 55 meter dash or 19-11 mark in the long jump?
Hall: This question is so hard to answer. Throughout the years I have always loved the 55m the most, but as I'm getting stronger and jumping further, I'm starting to love long jump just as much. There is really no answer to this question because it's impossible for me to choose one over the other. I can say though, that I'm much more surprised with my performance in the long jump. Before this season I haven't come close to reaching the upper 19's and I wasn't expecting to jump that far so early into the season.
MileSplit US: You long jumped predominantly in the 17-18 foot range for much of last year with the exception of popping your first 19 foot mark at the New England Championships outdoors. You have put together two straight meets over 19 feet. Is that a trend that you expect to continue this year? What do you attribrute to strong start this season and difference from a year ago?
Hall: The bigger meets always get me fired up to jump further and run faster mostly because of the greater competition, the atmosphere, and the adrenaline. I'm definitely expecting to consistently see some jumps in the 18's and 19's throughout my regular season, and hopefully once I'm competing in larger meets again towards the end of the season I can jump 20 feet. I have been stronger and more stable than I ever have been before and I believe that that's the reason why I've started out jumping so far. My jumping form has stayed the same from the outdoor season of my sophomore year to this season. The only thing I have really changed is my long jump spikes and my strength.
MileSplit US: The New England Championships are a big deal to athletes in your state as well as the surrounding states. Having won numerous New England Championship titles, what does that meet mean to you in having the opportunity to compete against some of the very best athletes in your region and represent your state as well? Is the New England meet a good step up in between competition for you to prepare for instead of going straight from the Maine state meet to nationals next?
Hall: The New England meet is one of the meets I look forward to most. Not only have I befriended many of the athletes competing at that meet, but I also get to represent my state and compete against some of the best athletes I ever have before. Being there with other Maine track athletes and cheering them on just as I would my own teammates means so much to me, and it brings us all closer in a way. I love how the meets in my indoor season gradually progress each week. Each meet the competition gets greater and the first places get more difficult to achieve. Going from states, to New England's, to Nationals definitely helps prepare me for competing against the best of the best opposed to jumping from competing against athletes in Maine to competing against athletes all over America.
MileSplit US: After finishing 7th at nationals both indoors and outdoors in the long jump, what did you gain or learn out of those national meet experiences that you feel will help benefit you to finish higher and potentially even compete for a national title this year or next?
Hall: I have learned so much about competing from going to Nationals. The number one thing that I have learned from both indoor and outdoor nationals last year is that I can't let the stress of one event affect my performance of a different event. I've realized that I need to take my meets one event at a time and not let the performances of my other events get to my head. Each event requires a completely different mindset in order to perform well and if you're upset at yourself for not competing up to your potential in one event, then it's going to carry over into your next event. I've learned to relax and take a few deep breaths before automatically deciding that I'm not going to do well in an event that I haven't competed in yet. Keeping a positive attitude about everything no matter what happens will definitely help me in upcoming national meets.
MileSplit US: Read that you spend time your time outside of school and track volunteering for a foster care program and diabetes awareness. What is it about those two causes that draws your interest particularly to devote your time and energy to?
Hall: Our whole family has always been interested in foster care and helping other children. We decided a few years ago that even though we weren't ready to adopt, we wanted to take kids in for days or weeks at a time if they were having issues with their family lives. After taking care of a one year old baby boy for a year we decided we wanted to adopt him and he officially became my little brother a few months ago. Also, I have had type 1 diabetes since I was ten years old and have been apart of walks to cure diabetes and given a speech about living with diabetes. Competing while having diabetes is sometimes hard because it's another thing to worry about along with hydration, warming up, and getting in the right mindset, but I've also learned a lot about myself from having diabetes and I would never change that.
MileSplit US: The state of Maine does not often have track & field athletes competing at your level on the national level. I'm sure as a result, you have developed a big fan club of supporters and fans in the Maine high school track & field community among athletes, coaches, media and spectators. Can you talk or share on your side of the experience and perspective of getting that high level of support and attention or having so many people in your state that are excited and interested about your rise nationally and following your progresssion as a star athlete being just a junior in high school?
Hall: It’s mind-blowing how much support I’ve gotten these past few years from people all throughout the state. I never could have imagined going into my freshman year how much breaking a few records could have impacted so many people. It’s the greatest feeling to know that hundreds of people from around Maine are rooting for me to do well and are looking out for me. I am beyond thankful for all of their support and kind words for it has changed me as a person and given me a better perspective as well. No matter what path my track career may take in the future, the very fact that I may have bettered someone else’s performances, work ethic, or how they feel about the sport or their lives in general is all that matters to me.
MileSplit US: What was your athletic background growing up and how did you first get involved with track & field? I know you previously were a soccer standout and ending up giving up the sport to focus primarily on track. What helped you make that decision?
Hall: I was always playing sports year around since first grade and I only played soccer and basketball up until 4th grade. One of my childhood friends joined a summer track program when I was nine and the day that she beat me in a race at the end of soccer practice was the day that I decided I wanted to try track and get faster just as she did. After taking up track when I was ten, I continued to play soccer and basketball. As the years proceeded, the more I began to love track. I gave up basketball after 8th grade in order to compete in indoor track. After playing soccer my freshman year I knew I had to decide whether I should continue playing the sport I loved growing up or to quit and focus on track. I talked to my trainer and he told me soccer was the leading sport for ACL injuries, but if I really loved it I should continue playing it. I decided that if I wanted to go far in track then I should concentrate on getting better almost all year around. I quit soccer to strength train and attain a strong base for the indoor track season in the winter, and it ended up being one of the best decisions I have made.
MileSplit US: You work out with a personal trainer in Chris Pribish regularly. What benefit have you seen from working with a personal trainer in Chris and how has it complimented your training that you already do with your track coaches and track team?
Hall: Chris Pribish has been the key to my success. He knows everything there is to know about getting stronger and what needs to be done to run faster and jump further. I have been training with him since 8th grade and each year he gets more involved in helping me be the best that I can be. He gives me all of my strength routines and has a set plan for what I’m going to be doing up until the end of indoor. I have no doubt that the strength and stability that I have been gaining because of him is the reason that I’m runner faster and jumping further. The things that I have been learning from him also fits well into what I do in my practices with my team. My coach has implemented a lot of strength training into every practice and I have been able to set up a workout routine for my teammates to do with me in those practices. It’s a great feeling to know that what Chris has done to help me can be done for other people on my team as well.
MileSplit US: What are your top goals for the remainder of your junior year?
Hall: As far as goals go for this season, I’m planning on taking things one meet a time. I’m always hoping to set PR’s, and if I accomplish those during a meet, then I will set goals for my next meet after that. It’s always better for me set short term goals because if I set bigger goals, I’m constantly going to be focusing on accomplishing those compared to focusing on setting more realistic goals for my regular season meets. Of course I do have long term goals in mind, though. One of my biggest is to break 7 seconds in the 55 meter dash, and to jump in the 20’s. I also have my sights set on another first place at New England’s in the 55, and possibly even in the long jump as well. I would like to improve upon my performances for the national meet this season, and hopefully achieve the All-American status for both of my events.
More on Kate Hall:
- MileSplit Athlete Profile Page
- Blog Entry #1 of Season for MaineTrackXC.com
- MileSplit US Girls Indoor Long Jump National Rankings
- MileSplit US Girls Indoor 55m Dash National Rankings
