Dordt's Kempers never stops
NAIA champ runs in GPAC meet here Saturday
By Steven Allspach Journal sports writer | Posted: Friday, May 02, 2008
Mind over matter.
It's the one and only philosophy open to Jen Kempers, a truly unique track and field athlete.
"When one event is over, you forget about it and prepare yourself mentally for the next,'' says the Dordt College senior from Sioux Center. "I can't bear it to stand around or sit around and watch.
"It kills me. I've got to be doing something. There's this competitive spirit in me that keeps me going. I don't think about getting tired, although I certainly do.
"Last week at the Drake Relays, I ran in one event, the 4x800 relay, and it was kind of a boring day. I did have to watch the women's steeplechase and that was really frustrating.''
It was frustrating for Kempers because the 2006 NAIA national champion in the event and the national runner-up last spring had a qualifying time that would have made her competitiive and deserving of a spot in the field.
At the Sioux City Relays, a week prior to Drake, Kempers set a meet and stadium record with a 10:42.93 clocking.
"My coach (Dr. Craig Heynen) submitted my nationals time from last year (10:46.51) and we thought that met every standard, but when the qualifiers were declared I was crushed,'' says Kempers, who will test the busiest body in the Great Plains Athletic Conference championships at Olsen Stadium Saturday, competing in five events.
As it turned out, Kempers' Sioux City Relays time would have been good for at least 10th at Drake in an event won by the only American woman who has met the Olympic "A'' standard in the steeple, Emily Brown of Team USA (9:45.38).
"There's no doubt in my mind I would have run a personal best because that's my goal about every time I compete,'' says Kempers, named the most valuable college female performer at the Sioux City Relays. "I really wanted that competition.''
The fifth-place finisher at Drake, the University of Iowa's Jessica Schmidt, ran 10:34.60.
Kempers won the NAIA steeplechase as a sophomore in 10:55.04. Sixth in that race was Meredith MacGregor of Simon Fraser (British Columbia). But MacGregor, then a senior, came back last spring to win in 10:33.25.
"It's not going to be easy this time, either,'' said Kempers. "My time right now is slower than the national leader, but I promise you I'll give it my best to win.''
While her time ranks second among national qualifiers, the leader is Dallon Willliams, a junior at Cal State University San Marcos. Williams, a transfer from the University of Washington, had a season best of 10:31.21 at the Mt. SAC Relays, the same weekend as the Sioux City Relays.
Interestingly, Williams' head coach at San Marcos is Steve Scott, the former world record-holder in the mile run.
Saturday, Kempers will high jump and run the steeplechase and open 800 along with her second venture at 5,000 meters this spring, then finish up anchoring a Defender 4x400 relay quartet.
She's provisionally qualified (for NAIA nationals) in the 800 in 2:17.2, but would like to go faster. That will probably happen since loop leaders Kym Bennett of Doane (2:13.9) and Olivia Johnson of Northwestern (2:14.55) have met the automatic qualifying mark.
Kempers, a state prep high jump champ at Orange City Unity Christian, has a best of 5 feet, 5.25 inches in the event this spring.
"I probably won't be after a real fast steeplechase time because I'm already there and I remember my freshman year when I passed out running the steeple up near the finish,'' recalls the lithe 5-9 athlete. "I started getting tunnel vision and was weaving around. I stepped off the track and collapsed.
"Trainers gave me fluids for about four hours, but I came back and ran on our 4x400 relay.''
It's when her "mind over matter'' philosophy took flight.
It's the one and only philosophy open to Jen Kempers, a truly unique track and field athlete.
"When one event is over, you forget about it and prepare yourself mentally for the next,'' says the Dordt College senior from Sioux Center. "I can't bear it to stand around or sit around and watch.
"It kills me. I've got to be doing something. There's this competitive spirit in me that keeps me going. I don't think about getting tired, although I certainly do.
"Last week at the Drake Relays, I ran in one event, the 4x800 relay, and it was kind of a boring day. I did have to watch the women's steeplechase and that was really frustrating.''
It was frustrating for Kempers because the 2006 NAIA national champion in the event and the national runner-up last spring had a qualifying time that would have made her competitiive and deserving of a spot in the field.
At the Sioux City Relays, a week prior to Drake, Kempers set a meet and stadium record with a 10:42.93 clocking.
"My coach (Dr. Craig Heynen) submitted my nationals time from last year (10:46.51) and we thought that met every standard, but when the qualifiers were declared I was crushed,'' says Kempers, who will test the busiest body in the Great Plains Athletic Conference championships at Olsen Stadium Saturday, competing in five events.
As it turned out, Kempers' Sioux City Relays time would have been good for at least 10th at Drake in an event won by the only American woman who has met the Olympic "A'' standard in the steeple, Emily Brown of Team USA (9:45.38).
"There's no doubt in my mind I would have run a personal best because that's my goal about every time I compete,'' says Kempers, named the most valuable college female performer at the Sioux City Relays. "I really wanted that competition.''
The fifth-place finisher at Drake, the University of Iowa's Jessica Schmidt, ran 10:34.60.
Kempers won the NAIA steeplechase as a sophomore in 10:55.04. Sixth in that race was Meredith MacGregor of Simon Fraser (British Columbia). But MacGregor, then a senior, came back last spring to win in 10:33.25.
"It's not going to be easy this time, either,'' said Kempers. "My time right now is slower than the national leader, but I promise you I'll give it my best to win.''
While her time ranks second among national qualifiers, the leader is Dallon Willliams, a junior at Cal State University San Marcos. Williams, a transfer from the University of Washington, had a season best of 10:31.21 at the Mt. SAC Relays, the same weekend as the Sioux City Relays.
Interestingly, Williams' head coach at San Marcos is Steve Scott, the former world record-holder in the mile run.
Saturday, Kempers will high jump and run the steeplechase and open 800 along with her second venture at 5,000 meters this spring, then finish up anchoring a Defender 4x400 relay quartet.
She's provisionally qualified (for NAIA nationals) in the 800 in 2:17.2, but would like to go faster. That will probably happen since loop leaders Kym Bennett of Doane (2:13.9) and Olivia Johnson of Northwestern (2:14.55) have met the automatic qualifying mark.
Kempers, a state prep high jump champ at Orange City Unity Christian, has a best of 5 feet, 5.25 inches in the event this spring.
"I probably won't be after a real fast steeplechase time because I'm already there and I remember my freshman year when I passed out running the steeple up near the finish,'' recalls the lithe 5-9 athlete. "I started getting tunnel vision and was weaving around. I stepped off the track and collapsed.
"Trainers gave me fluids for about four hours, but I came back and ran on our 4x400 relay.''
It's when her "mind over matter'' philosophy took flight.
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