By: Kendall Novak
An athlete, a student and an overall great person, meet Mackenzie. No matter what obstacle is thrown her way it doesn’t stop her from continuing to push forward. She has experienced injuries, surgeries, new sports and so much more. Throughout the summer I have gotten the chance to see the determination Mackenzie puts into everything she does. This type of personality not only helps her in life but also helps her with sports. She grew up playing soccer and found herself invested in that, but once college came there were other plans. Sophomore year of college Mackenzie made the brave decision to go out for cross country. As a first time cross country runner she ended up having a very successful season. With multiple PR’s and a chance to compete in the conference meet Mackenzie is determined to continue to work hard and have another successful season. Keep reading to see the interview that I got to have with Mackenzie.
Kendall: What is your major and why did you choose it?
Mackenzie: I am an Exercise Science Major with a Pre-Medicine focus. Not only did I choose my major because I love the health sciences, the human body, and fitness, but at the age of 14 I tore my ACL in a soccer game. I needed reconstructive surgery and five months of physical therapy in order to return to sports. My experience with my Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Lyons, and Physical Therapist, Mary Beth Geiser, was fantastic. Both medical professionals were amazing at their jobs and were always more than happy to answer and explain any concepts or questions I had about the recovery processes I was going through. Their passion about medicine and rehabilitation was contagious. It was mainly because of this experience that I became so interested in healthcare. My end goal after completing my undergraduate degree is to attend medical school to hopefully become a pediatric doctor.
Kendall: How did you first get into playing sports?
Mackenzie: I was a very active kid. I loved playing outside with my younger siblings, my cousins, and neighbors. My mom and dad knew I needed some sort of outlet to help me burn off my large amount of energy, so they began putting me in multiple different sports.
Kendall: What sports did you play growing up?
Mackenzie: At the age of 4-5 I started playing sports, and the two sports I competed in most competitively throughout my childhood and teen years were soccer and basketball. I played soccer from the age of 5 until my freshman year of college and I played basketball from kindergarten until the end of my freshman year of high school. I was a sports loving kid, so I also participated in swim lessons for a while during elementary school and was on a club swim team for one year in middle school. I tried dance, both tap and ballet, and even figure skating for a very short period of time as a very young child (I was really not a fan). And, finally, I played t-ball in the early years of elementary school and softball in the later years.
Kendall: What is your favorite sport to play and why?
Mackenzie: This is a very tough question. If you asked me during middle school, high school, and even my freshman year of college, I would have said soccer. However, my sophomore year of college I switched from competing in soccer to a sport I had never done before, cross country. This switch made me realize my love for running in a new way. I had always loved running (I was an outside midfielder in soccer, the position that usually requires the most running), but had never done it competitively. My first year running cross country at St. Thomas was awesome, and I’m very much looking forward to my second season this year. With that being said, I think I would have to say I have 2 favorite sports now.
Kendall: Since soccer is such a big team sport, what is one memory you have that showed a great amount of teamwork?
Mackenzie: My U17 year of club soccer and our last conference game of the Fall season was in very late November. We were playing a team from Minnesota at home, outside, in 20 degree temperatures. As a team, we had to shovel snow off parts of the field before the game so we could actually pass the ball, it was that cold. Our team had two girls out of town that day and so we had only one substitute. I remember huddling with my team before the game in a tent a dad had sent up by our bench to try and block the wind. We made a collective decision then that despite the snow, freezing temperatures, and the fact that none of us could feel our hands and toes, we were going to win this game. It was one of the best matches we’ve ever played. Our team was fighting together and had one collective goal to push through the challenges the Wisconsin winter brought. The win that day allowed us to qualify for the National Playoffs in the Spring, which was one of the coolest experiences I had had as a club soccer player. Being a part of a team is the best part of playing sports. Not much is better than working hard towards a goal with your friends.
Kendall: What was one of the challenges with starting a new sport in college?
Mackenzie: One of the challenges was learning just how cross country works! Throughout my life I ran at soccer practice and in games, and I’d go on runs for my own personal enjoyment and exercise, but competitive running was something I had never done before. I had to learn how to pace myself in races, how to use my GPS running watch, the best way to run workouts so that I wouldn’t “die out” after only a mile or two, and understand how to properly warm-up to run my best.
Kendall: Who is someone you look up to that helps you get motivated to stay active?
Mackenzie: I look up to the women on the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. The ladies on that team have amazing work ethics, are very physically fit, and are also some of the nicest individuals. Some of my personal favorite athletes on the squad include Kelley O’Hara, Morgan Brian, and Megan Rapinoe. Each woman is constantly practicing and striving to be their best on both athletics and in life, and their passion has always inspired me to want to continue to better myself in those aspects also.
Kendall: What has been your go to snack before a big game/meet?
Mackenzie: Before a game or meet I always try and have the same type of breakfast. My go to has always been oatmeal or a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese and an apple with peanut butter. It’s filling and gives me the carbs and protein to power through whatever I’m doing.
Kendall: What is something you hope to achieve in the rest of your career at UST academically or athletically?
Mackenzie: In my first year running cross country I got a new PR at every meet, however, that was a combination of some beginner’s luck and also slowly getting better and understanding the sport as the season went on. I hope to PR, maybe not at every meet, but at a couple throughout the seasons in the two years of cross country I have left. I also hope to get the role of President of the Health and Human Performance Club on campus my senior year at UST and to finish college with acceptance into a medical school in the midwest.
Kendall: What advice would you give someone who is looking to start running for the first time?
Mackenzie: I would say start slow. If you have never ran before, start with a half mile or a mile at a pace that makes you sweat, but doesn’t cause you to be huffing and puffing after you stop. Slowly as you run more and more you’ll be able to go farther and you’ll be able to build up your speed. It’s crazy, your body will adapt super fast as it gets used to and learns to run longer! Ask a friend or sibling to run or bike alongside you for motivation. The hardest part is starting, however, once you start you’ll be sure to love it!
Kendall: What lessons have you learned through sports that will help you succeed in your life after college?
Mackenzie: I have learned that sometimes you just have to take the chance. After I stopped playing soccer, I could have decided to not continue competing in team sports. However, I choose to do something I don’t usually do and “take a risk” and run cross country. That decision was one of the best I’ve ever made as it led me to a supportive and encouraging team, new friends, and a new love and appreciation for running. I’ve also learned that building relationships and working with a team is not only fun, but doing things together as a group is one of the best ways to get things done, find new ideas and solutions to problems, and reach a goal.
Kendall: Is there any advice that your coaches have given you over the years, that has stuck with you?
Mackenzie: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” I have always used this quote as motivation in my athletic career because I may not always be the fastest or the strongest, but you can count on me never giving up and always pushing myself to help my team achieve victory.
Kendall: What are some of the best memories you have of the sports you played?
Mackenzie: Some of the best memories I’ve had throughout my sports career have been...winning the Wisconsin Division 1 State Championship for Soccer my freshman year of high school, playing at the ECNL National Playoffs in Seattle, WA twice for my club soccer team (it was always so fun traveling to across the country to other states for tournaments with my teammates), and achieving my best time of the season in the MIAC Conference Championship meet this past cross country season.