The Athlete of the week this week is Crookston Pirate Girls Track long-distance runner, Katherine Geist. The Junior won both the 1600 meter and 3200-meter races in the Section 8A True Team track meet on Tuesday in Roseau. Katherine has won all 11 of her races so far this year (she has won the 1600 five times, the 3200 three times and the 800 three times). She has the Crookston High School Girls track record for the outdoor 1600 and 3200 races and she holds the record for the indoor 800 and 1600. “Katherine is a hard worker and she is determined to be the best that she can be,” said Pirate Girls Track Coach Amy Boll. “She is such a smooth runner and it is fun to watch her compete and run. It is nice to have her on the team and she has been a good leader. She has a good attitude and she really pushes hard and that carries over to the rest of the team.”
Katherine is in her fifth year of competing on the varsity team where she runs the 3200, 1600 and 800-meter races and she placed in two events at the Minnesota State Track and Field meet last year. She finished sixth place in the 3200 meters and seventh place in the 1600 meters. Katherine advanced to state her freshman year in the 800 meters and the 4×800 relay.
Katherine competed in her fifth straight Minnesota State Cross Country at St. Olaf College in Northfield in the fall. Katherine has done well at the state cross country meet with a 61st place finish in seventh grade, a 38th place finish as an eighth grader, 17th place as a Freshman and 51st as a sophomore and this past fall she finished ninth place.
Katherine is a member of the state-bound Envirothon team that will compete at the state competition next week. She is also active in Knowledge Bowl, River Watch, Student Council, honor roll, and she plays the piano and violin.
First started running – Seventh grade – cross country season
Favorite meet – The Section 8A meet
Favorite track – East Grand Forks
Biggest thrill in your athletic career thus far – State cross country in the fall, finishing ninth place.
The toughest part of track – The time commitment. Spring is so busy with practice and missing school for track meets and everything else going on.
Do you have a pre-meet ritual – Not really
Favorite sports team – Fighting Hawks
Favorite athlete – Shalane Flanagan (Boston Marathon winner)
Last movie you’ve seen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Favorite TV program – Spring Baking Championship
Favorite food – Chocolate
What music are you listening to – Todays hits
Something about you that people don’t know – I am working on getting my pilots license
You’re stranded on a deserted island and you can have ANY three people with you –My sister Marietta, my cat Fluffy and my dog Hazel
Do you have any plans yet after high school – A four-year college somewhere
Family –
Katherine-
Dad – Dan (Owner of Dan’s Flying Service)
Mom – Sara (Title One Coordinator for the Crookston School District)
Brothers- Andreas (Flight instructor at Fargo Airport)
Sisters – Marietta (Junior at Carleton)
