3-time state qualifier Kaster working hard to up the ante

Getting to state in one sport is always a thrill.

Reaching that plateau a second time is twice as nice.

However, going to state in three sports in the same year? That’s a rarity that only comes along once in a very long time, and doing so as a sophomore makes it even more remarkable.

That was the 2023-24 sports year for Katherine Kaster last season, who went to state in girls soccer, cross country and track.

In fact, her fall sports season was so crammed full of attending postseason tournaments that one day she participated in the girls state cross country meet and then after finishing made a beeline to the girls regional soccer final, arriving just in time to help the Lady Knights become the first WHHS soccer team to ever play at state.

That is a season worth celebrating, and while she did just that, she isn’t resting on her laurels.

Instead, Kaster’s summer is packed full of practice, preparation and plenty of hard work as she sets her sights on bettering that magical sophomore campaign in her junior year.

“I think about it a lot,” Kaster said. “It was amazing, but I know I can do better. I know I have to train even harder to push farther this year. Back when it was actually happening, I was just focusing on not trying to freak out.”

Her summer has already consisted of plenty of activity.

“It’s been really busy,” Kaster said. “My main focus in the fall is soccer, so I’m going to all my soccer trainings and conditioning, which are usually four days a week so far. On those days I usually run on my own after my soccer training to get mileage in for cross country.”

That would seem to be plenty, but for Kaster, there is more, and she has been cherishing the chance to push herself.

“On weekends when I don’t have soccer stuff, I run for cross country training,” she said. “Or during family trips or when I’m otherwise away, I run to keep my fitness level up for both sports.”

That type of dedication is why Kaster has found so much success in athletics this early in her high school career.

While she works hard on her own, Kaster was quick to acknowledge her coaches, her teammates and her mother Laura (Nowels) Kaster, who was a great runner at West Holmes during her career.

“I’ve had a lot of support from a lot of people, but especially from my mom, who helped me learn how to eat right, sleep right, stretch, the importance of cooling down and just preparing mentally for this,” Kaster said.

Kaster battled through an injury her freshman year, which curtailed her track season but helped her better understand the importance of being both mentally and physically prepared.

Everything she went through last year was something she looks back on now with great fondness, but she said celebrating with her teammates is where she finds the most joy.

“It’s special when everyone contributes and we’re successful,” Kaster said. “I like the concept of being part of a team. There’s something really fun about being with all the girls and hanging out and having fun while we compete and off the field.”

As she prepares for her junior season following her success, Kaster understands she will take on the mantle of leadership, and she said she wants to embrace that as much as competing.

“I like to be the older teammate that pays attention to the younger players,” Kaster said. “I’ve had the experience of having older players be great role models, and I’ve seen it the other way around. It always hurts to get ignored, so I don’t want that to happen to any of the younger kids coming in.”

Her goal heading into the cross country season is to return to state as a team and to qualify for state as an individual.

When the smoke clears from the busy summer schedule, Kaster will once again turn her attention to carving out time for soccer, cross country and her studies in the classroom.

“Once mandatory training for high school sports start on Aug. 1, I’m going to be working with both (soccer and cross country) coaches to see how best to fit in soccer and cross country training,” Kaster said. “Then we’ll have to readjust again once school starts, particularly with soccer games and cross country meets at the same time.”

After setting the table during her sophomore season, Kaster appears more than ready to take on plenty more challenges in the coming school year.