By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Kansas State High School Activities Association is currently in the midst of its 50 for 50 project, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which opened the door for female athletes across the United States. As part of that project TopSports.news contributor Rick Peterson wrote the following story on former Shawnee Heights star Trisa Nickoley, a 17-time state champion in track and cross country.
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Since her record-setting Shawnee Heights track and cross country career ended in 2004, Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Famer Trisa Nickoley never completely got away from the sport.
Nickoley went on to a standout career at Missouri and her profession is helping to promote corporate wellness, but lately the 17-time Kansas state champion has started feeling like it may be time to get more involved with the sport she loves.
Trisa Nickoley
Nickoley, who a 17-month-old son, Armani, recently moved back to her old Topeka stomping grounds and has relatives that are getting in involved in sports, which has served to rekindle Nickoley's memories of her career.
"As I moved back here, I hadn't lived here since high school, so it does bring back memories,'' Nickoley said. "I have cousins now that are in track and it's cool to watch. My oldest nephew is 12 and he's in sports and I guess people are kind of recognizing the name a little bit and asking questions.
"Lately I'm like, 'Should I get involved in some coaching around the area?' I do miss that track world and I feel like maybe I'm being tugged backed into it, which is awesome. So we'll see what happens with that.''
Nickoley was one of the greatest female middle-distance runners in Kansas history, earning an amazing 17 Class 5A state championships in cross country and track while never losing an individual race in state competition in either sport.
Nickoley won four straight 5A state cross country titles from 2000-2003 and won titles in the 400, 800 and 1,600 meters four straight years at the state track and field meet in Wichita (’01-’04). She added a 17th state title in the 1,600-meter relay.
She is still Kansas’ all-time state leader in the 800 meters (2 minutes, 06.67 seconds) and was inducted into the KSHSAA Hall of Fame in 2018
Nickoley was a two-time Track and Field News high school All-American and was named the Gatorade Kansas track and field athlete of the year three times.
Nickoley, went on to become a 14-time All-Big 12 honoree, a four-time Big 12 champion and earned All-America honors in the 800 meters at Missouri. Nickoley competed in the 2008 Olympic Trials.
NIckoley admits she's been thinking more about those days since the birth of Armani and is looking forward to the day when her son can hopefully get some of the same enjoyment from athletics that she did.
One thing Nickoley is sure of is that Armani's sports career will be on his own terms.
"It's funny when you have kids you kind of think back on your own athletic experience and I would definitely not push anything because I think that's when kids get burnt out,'' Nickoley said. "My parents never pushed anything. It was always me saying, 'This is what I want to do.' ''
Nickoley said she benefitted from being able to try several different sports at a low-pressure level and is thankful for all the opportunities she was afforded before deciding to concentrate on running.
"At a young age I did more just fun, intramural-type stuff until about 13,'' Nickoley said. "Middle school is when I really decided, 'This is what I want to do, track is what I want to focus on.' So my parents said, 'OK, we'll be supportive of it,' but they never pushed it.''
Nickoley said she plans to take that same approach when Armani is old enough to get involved in sports.
"With my son, obviously it's some years out, but when he's young I just want to keep it fun and I will never push him to do anything but it will be cool to see what his interests are,'' Nickoley said.
Although she obviously has a soft spot for track, Nickoley has as inkling that Armani could get up in another sport.
"What's really interesting is he's been running around since 10 months and I don't know much about soccer -- I tried it once and was quick but did not have the skills -- but he has like a natural soccer-looking-like thing and he'll kick a ball around,'' Nickoley said. "It will be interesting to see how that plays out.''
