BY MIKE BLACKERBY
Hardin Valley thrower Gracie Waite doesn’t pull any punches when she looks back on her disappointing 2023 season.
“My junior year was really bad,” said Waite.
“It was rough. People who had never beaten me were beating me. I thought to myself ‘that will never happen again.’”
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Waite, the 5Star Preps 2024 Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year, was dead on with her vow.
Not only did Waite win two gold medals at the state Class AAA meet in the discus and shot put, she cruised through the entire outdoor season unbeaten.
That was a first for the tradition-rich Hardin Valley program.
“That’s something that has never happened in school history, for an athlete to go undefeated in track and field,” said HVA coach Chris Kane.
“She had just a very consistent season. There really wasn’t a bad meet Gracie had all season. She just really became a consistent athlete this year.”
Waite said she didn’t even realize her undefeated season was on the line until late May when she competed in the state championships in Murfreesboro.
“That’s so insane to think about,” said Waite.
“I wasn’t even thinking about going through a track and field season undefeated. I don’t think it hit me until state.”
When the prospect of an undefeated season finally registered with Waite, she responded like a champ.
In both events at state, Waite beat out longtime rival Elissa Longmire of Jefferson County to win gold.
Waite marked at 42-04.5 to win the shot put by four feet over Longmire.
She threw 141-04 on her next-to-last toss to put some distance behind second-place Longmire (121-0).
“She was getting some pressure from Longmire and then she threw 141 to seal the win,” said Kane.
Waite said her rivalry with Longmire made both athletes better.
“She definitely pushed me,” said Waite.
“It’s so funny because we are really good friends and she’s such a genuine person. Our parents are also good friends.”
Waite, who finished her high school indoor/outdoor track and field career with 11 all-state honors, said her senior season was in stark contrast to her junior year.
“My junior year my mental health was not where it was supposed to be,” explained Waite.
Her disappointing 2023 season culminated with a fifth-place showing in the discus. She didn’t even qualify for state in the shot put.
“My senior year I worked a lot on my mindset. I was not going to lose. I thought, ‘wow, my hard work really paid off.’ I will carry that with me for a lifetime.”
Moving forward, Waite takes her track and field talents to Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Kane said Waite still has a high ceiling in the shot put and discus.
“That’s a really, really good team she’s going to at Lee,” said Kane.
“Gracie is an athlete and she’s very powerful. I can see her competing in the Division 2 Nationals next year.”