 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IL- St. Charles
St. Charles Senior Lizzy Hynes
8/16/2008 St. Charles IL
Tony Jones
Elizabeth “Lizzy” Hynes Exclusive Interview  Lizzy Hynes of St. Charles East 2008 State Contender
Lizzy Hynes of St. Charles East High School has been a staple on the Illinois girls’ distance scene for quite a while. In fact, she came in as touted freshman and placed 19th in the then AA class state XC meet. Hynes hasn’t failed to disappoint the masses. Over the years with steady improvement that has lead with last season’s third place at AAA state XC. Besides the swift 16:59 she produced on grass for 3m, Hynes has pretty good track credentials as well: 4:57.60-1600m, 10:54.00- 3200m. Now, in her senior year, Hynes is poised to stand on the top spot.
Dyestat Illinois: What are your goals for the upcoming cross country season?
Lizzy Hynes: My biggest goal is to finally win a state championship because that has been the dream for so long. I also hope to qualify for Footlocker nationals and lead my team to a top 10 finish at the state meet this year.
Dye IL: You have been a premier runner since your freshman year. Is there any added pressure to win a state title now as a senior?
LH: I have always put pressure on myself to win because I’ve had that same goal each season. It’s a little more intense now that I know I won’t have any more chances after this [season].
Dye IL: You are known to have a pretty good finishing kick and all around leg speed but what is your favorite part of an XC race?
LH: My favorite part is definitely the last mile- that’s usually the point where I decide that it’s time to go and I start passing people. I don’t like starting fast and having no one to pass the entire race- it’s harder to stay focused.
Dye IL: In speaking with Coach Denise Hefferin, she said she often runs with the team. What is it like to have a coach not far removed from the competitive side?
LH: It’s really nice to have someone who used to be in the same position as me. Ms. Hefferin offers me a lot of good racing and running advice. We all get along with her very well.
Dye IL: You are already one of the all-time greats in St. Charles girls’ history along with coach Hefferin and Tera Moody. How do you feel about your place in school history?
LH: I love going to a school with so much athletic history in general. It’s cool to hear from [coach] Hefferin about the days when they won state, and Tera comes back occasionally to visit [us] at practice. I still don’t have any school records, but I hope to in the near future and I hope our team can be ranked up there with Tera and [coach] Hefferin’s.
Dye IL: It appears the Saints will field a pretty solid team fall after several disappointing seasons.
LH: Yes, I’m super excited about the team we have right now. We return our top seven. Plus we have an extremely talented freshman and two juniors who were hurt last fall. I would love [for us] to improve on our 7th place finish from my freshman year.
Dye IL: You have been void of serious racing whether it’s track or XC. Do you plan on getting yourself in the national contender ring?
LH: I have always tried post-season running, but not since my freshman year have I been in good shape after the state meet. This will be my fourth year at Footlocker Midwest, and my chances of qualifying [for nationals] are the best they’ve been, so I’m really hoping that this is the year. The focus has always been to race my best at the state meet and beyond.
Dye IL: What colleges are you considering as well as field of study?
LH: It’s pretty early in the process and there are still a lot of places to consider, but I’ve been looking at several schools in the ACC. I think I’d like to study pre-law.
Dye IL: What do you enjoy most about your everyday high school experience?
LH: I like the satisfaction of putting in a lot of hard work and seeing the results, and of course I enjoy seeing the girls on the team- they’re some of my best friends.
Dye IL: What does Lizzy like to do outside of running?
LH: I enjoy cooking, dancing, attempting to play the guitar, and like every teenager: hanging out with my friends! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
