GROTON – Keegen Tracy wants to save his best for last, and it appears that the Groton sprinter is well on his way to doing just that.
The multi-sport standout is gearing up for the final state track and field meet of his prep career, and recently had a hand in a pair of records.
The senior broke the 400-meter dash record at the Northeast Conference meet in a time of :50.51, and just a few days ago was part of a sprint medley team that broke a school record in a time of 3:37.18.
Those performances should help motivate Tracy in his quest for this week’s state meet Thursday through Saturday at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.
“Last year, I didn’t make any finals in state and it would be awesome if I could make them in all my open events,” Tracy said. “I run the 100, 200 and 400, so that would probably be the best outcome, making all three.”
Tracy enters the state meet with the second fastest time in Class A in the 400, and has the eighth fastest times in both the 100 and 200. The medley relay team is fourth.
Tracy has been a key member of the Groton football team and has started in back-to-back state basketball tournaments.
With plenty of experience in big moments during multiple sports, you might think that nerves are not an issue, but Tracy explained why he still has them before every big moment.
“It doesn’t matter how many times I play, like in track every single time I run the 400 I get nervous,” Tracy said. “I get nervous every single time before a game in football and basketball, but I think if you don’t get nervous, in my opinion, it (shows you don’t) care enough. And I care a whole lot. I wish I could play sports for the rest of my life. … I enjoy everything I do.”
Tracy will be able to extend his playing days in the future. He will attend Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, where he will play basketball and run track while studying physical therapy.
Tracy plans to draw on his high school experience to help him prepare competing in multiple sports at the next level while also keeping up with academics.
“Being a multisport athlete helps me prepare for college because I know that I’ll be busy and I won’t have a lot of spare time, but I think that will be fine because I’ve balanced that already,” he said. “And I’ve done a pretty good job with my grades and school. I’m just really excited to go do all these things in college.”
Tracy, who said his favorite sport is basketball, said he enjoyed competing in all three sports for the Tigers and likes to stay active while being with his teammates.
“I don’t like to sit around and be lazy,” Tracy said, “so just being able to be out there with my friends and play sports during high school just means a lot to me.”
While Tracy still has four more races left as a member of the Groton Tigers, he is pleased that he will get a chance to compete in multiple sports when he heads off to college.
“Being able to show everyone I can go play college sports is something I’m proud of, because my whole high school career, that’s all I wanted to do,” Tracy said, “and I actually have the opportunity to do that, so I would say that’s my biggest accomplishment.”
As Tracy’s time as a high school athlete comes to a close, he says it hasn’t quite hit him, yet. He just plans on having a huge finish to cap off his prep career.
“I haven’t really thought about it yet, like man, high school sports are about to be done forever,” Tracy said. “But I just have to make sure I have the mindset I need to keep doing what I’m doing, because the last state track meet is coming up and I want to go out with a bang.”
