Hurdling negativity: Positive attitude sparks Hockinson’s Chapin to success

The key, she says, is to block out negative thoughts, and keep an optimistic look at the future.

For the Hockinson track and field team — and the greater community — that outlook is contagious.

“She wants everyone to do well and supports her team wholeheartedly,” Hockinson hurdles coach Maile Krumpschmidt said, “and I admire her for that.”

Chapin is over a half second shy of her personal bests in the 100 hurdles (15.38 seconds) and 300 hurdles (45.85), and she knows that in order to get back to 2A state contention for a third year in a row in the hurdles, she must get her trail leg down quicker and dial up her turnover speed — both techniques she’s fine-tuning with Krumpschmidt.

As a sophomore, she finished fourth in the 100 hurdles and the 300 hurdles. Last year, as a junior, she notched a third-place finish in the 100 and fifth in the 300.

But when Chapin turns the page on her high school career, her imprint on the program, and on the Hockinson community, won’t just be tied to her hurdle times.

Her selflessness that stands out to coaches and teammates, which is why when she received a kindness citation from the Hockinson’s school resource officer, it didn’t surprise her coaches.

“That just goes with her demeanor,” Hockinson track coach Randy Pearrow said. “Very positive attitude for her personally, then it spreads to the others around.”

Fittingly, Chapin plans to pursue a career in the medical field, because “I know I want to help others,” she said. And she’ll do so when she heads to Pacific University (Ore.) next fall to join the track and field team as a hurdler and possibly play soccer, too.

But first, Chapin is focused on making it back to state. And if there’s one thing she’s learned after running at a high level, it’s that as much as she focuses on technique, the same focus needs to be brought to her mental toughness.

“Just trying to stay positive overall is extremely important and crucial for track,” Chapin said.

Krumpschmidt was a professional hurdler in San Diego where she trained at the Olympic Training Center and qualified for the Olympic Trials in 2004 and 2008. When Krumpschmidt — who competed as Maile Barrett, her maiden name — joined the team at the start of the season, she tested the Hockinson hurdlers immediately.

During a practice early in the season, she had them do a drill she used to do at the Olympic Training Center called the “one-step drill,” in which the hurdles are placed so close together that the runner only has one step in between each. Its purpose is to improve trail leg speed and, as Krumpschmidt admitted, it’s meant to be physically tough. Chapin was frustrated, Krumpschmidt said, almost to tears the first time she tried it.

“Sometimes when I’m wanting to achieve something and it’s not right there I kind of get down on myself,” Chapin said.

That’s where her positivity kicked in.

After a few times doing the drill — one that Krumpschmidt said she didn’t even bring to her runners when she coached at Lewis & Clark College — Chapin and the rest of the hurdlers have gotten the hang of the drill — and are better for it.

In some ways, the two-time Olympic Trials qualifier is similar to her top hurdler. Krumpschmidt went to medical school after she retired from track and now does clinical trial cancer research. Chapin hopes to pursue a career in the medical field, too.

With two trips to state already behind her on the track, Chapin is past the point of realizing her potential.

But with some two months left in her high school career, Chapin has taken stock of what her experience as a competitive hurdler has taught her, and is invested in passing it on to the next generation of hurdlers. Pearrow said she’s taken freshman hurdler Analese Johns under her wing, leading her through drills and warmups.

He says it’s “hard to beat what she brings to the program.”

“She’s just genuine,” Krumpschmidt said. “She’s very sweet, kind, cares about her fellow athletes.”