Following a stellar career and a senior year to remember, distance star Kinley Cooley added one final achievement to her Powell High School resume in May when she was named the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year.

“Being named athlete of the year was one of those moments that you appreciate not just because of the award, but because of what it stood for to me,” Cooley said. “It was proof that every hard moment I doubted myself but kept going anyway wasn’t wasted. It reminded me that when you love something enough to pour your whole heart into it, it will always have something to give back to you.”

EARLY CAREER

Cooley burst onto the scene her freshman year for the Panthers, ending as the lead runner for the team at the state cross country meet with a 20th place finish with a time of 21 minutes, 31.53 seconds.

In addition to being the top cross country runner, Cooley added a top five finish in the 3200 meters and was part of a state championship season for the track team.

During her sophomore year Cooley made a jump, earning All-State honors in cross country after a seventh place finish with a time of 20:44.42.

In that sophomore year, Cooley also broke the school record for cross country for the first time, a record she would continue to improve by her final race while helping the Panther cross country team to a trophy for the first time in over a decade.

After competing in the inaugural season of indoor track for the Powell Panther program and placing at state, Cooley helped the Panthers earn another outdoors state track and field title, running as part of the winning 4x800 team and placing in the 1600 and 3200 meter races.

LEARNING LESSONS

Unfortunately for Cooley, a less than ideal individual junior cross country season saw her place outside the top 10 at the state meet, but she was the third finisher for the team and helped the Panthers earn their first state title in cross country since 2010.

Following that junior campaign Cooley solved a medical issue that affected her racing, roaring back with a strong indoor campaign that broke both the 1600 and 3200 meter records, starting a new standard in those races.

Throughout her years competing Cooley learned a number of valuable lessons, not focusing on personal records and finding the joy in running each time out.

“I learned more than I can even put into words,” Cooley said. “However, my favorite lesson is that you’ve got to make it fun. Somewhere along the way, I think a lot of us forget that. We get caught up in PRs and pressure, and it can start to feel like a job. News flash for all of us, it’s not supposed to. It’s supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be the best part of your day.”

She said if she could tell every freshman one thing, it would be “if your sport doesn’t bring you joy, either bring the joy to it, or find something that does. I think life’s too short to miss out on that kind of happiness.”

She followed with new records in both of those races in the outdoor season, placing in the top six at state in the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter runs.

REFLECTING ON RECORDS

Another strong senior year followed, as Cooley improved her cross country record and set a new record at her final home meet, finishing in 18:26.8.

She raced ahead of the pack by more than 30 seconds at the state meet, and took home an individual title with a time of 19:08.2 helping the Panthers finish second.

While winning the state title and multiple team titles was an incredible accomplishment for Cooley, she said her favorite memories and moments came from spending time with her teammates.

“The state titles were incredible and those were once in a lifetime moments, but the best memories have lived in the little things,” Cooley said. “Like team dinners, eating meals that are horrible for you before racing. Bonfires at Melissa (Merritt’s) property staying out way too late, and all of us picking on Liam (Taylor) more than he deserved because he was like a big brother to all of us and he just took it like a champ.”

Indoors Cooley improved her 1600 and 3200 meter records to times of 5:25.7 and 11:52.07, while also improving her outdoor 1600 and 3200 meter records to 5:18.83 and 11:28.54.

After once again helping the Panthers earn a trophy at state for outdoor track for the fourth time in her career, Cooley reflected on her records — she did not believe she’d reach this point.

“It feels unbelievable, truly,” Cooley said. “If you’d told my freshman self that I’d hold these records some day she would’ve laughed. Now that I have them, I know those records don’t just reflect me. They reflect every teammate who pulled me through a tough rep, all my coaches who believed in me even when I didn’t, every moment I chose to stick it out and run along with the fear of the possibility of losing that pace at the end of that race.”

Despite holding nearly every distance record at PHS and helping revitalize and improve the Panther distance program, Cooley feels those records may not stand for long, and may fall soon to a familiar face in her younger sister.

“The thing about records is, they’re meant to be broken one day. Maybe even soon those records will be broken,” Cooley said. “I hope they are. Because someone else deserves their moment, their legacy (cough cough Karee). I’ll be the first one cheering whoever that person may be on when it happens, because that’s the beauty of this journey. I think the most important part about improving records is trying to encourage other athletes to perform at a higher level and reach those goals.”

MOVING FORWARD

Cooley will now take her talents to Montana State University, continuing her distance career for the Bobcats.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level Cooley is hopeful that lessons she learned in high school will come with her, finding a way to make her teammates feel like a family while also making lasting friendships off the course.

“I think the most important lessons that I’m taking to MSU next year is the people you meet through sports can become some of the most important people in your life,” Cooley said. “Some if not just about all of my most meaningful friendships were born out of competition. Not just teammates, but girls and guys I’ve raced against. We fight against each other on the course, and then cry together at the finish line because someone just shattered their personal best. We had a real deal community. That’s what I want at MSU. I want to find more people like that. I want teammates who become family, competitors who become lifelong friends.”

While she is leaving behind a legacy as a Panther, she hopes that she left behind more of a legacy than just being a strong runner on the course but an even better teammate and friend.

“My greatest accomplishment in Panther athletics is who I became. One year, a teammate said something that stuck with me: ‘God saves the best people for cross country.’ And that hit me right in the heart,” Cooley said. “I wanted to be one of those people. I wanted to be someone who didn’t just run fast to help the team win, but someone who loved big. I tried to become that person. A better friend, a more present teammate. Someone who hugs hard at the finish line and cheers loud for everyone. If I walk away from PHS remembered for anything, I hope it’s that. That I made people feel loved. Maybe they experienced my sarcastic tough love, but nonetheless, I hope they knew I cared and I still do.”