Blue and Gold Profile's

By Jacob Merideth; TV Athletics Beat Writer

Player Spotlight: Katy Zang, Teays Valley High School Girls Cross Country

“Traffic Light Sport Athlete of the (Fall) Season”

Katy Zang, a standout runner for the Teays Valley High School girls cross country team, has been making waves with her impressive performances. Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down with Katy and discuss her experiences, motivations, and goals.

When asked about her initial reaction to breaking the school record, Katy admitted that it came as a surprise. "Honestly, it came as a surprise to me because I felt super slow that race!" she recalled. "But after I figured out that I was able to break the school record, I just kept on cruising in the other meets!"

Katy attributes her success to a combination of factors, including her faith, coaches, parents, and countless hours of hard work. "I would say the things that helped me were God, my coaches and my parents, and tons of hours of hard work!" she emphasized.

To stay motivated, Katy focuses on her goals and the feeling of winning. "I stay motivated by remembering what I want and remembering how good it feels to win," she explained. Her race strategy is straightforward: "Get out in front and stay in front, not let anyone get in my head, and keep a good distance."

Katy's passion for her team is evident, and she cherishes the camaraderie and support that come with being part of a tight-knit group. "I love being a part of the best team ever!" she exclaimed. "And seeing Reese go to states was amazing, but also very painful for me to experience."

As for advice to younger athletes, Katy stresses the importance of hard work and dedication. "Even though some might be talented, at the end of the day, hard work overpowers talent!" she advised.

Balancing sports and academics can be challenging, but Katy has learned to prioritize and stay focused. "You just need to know when and what to lock in on," she said.

Katy's long-term goals are ambitious, including competing in the 2028 Olympics, winning state titles, and qualifying for nationals. "I plan to achieve those goals by training even harder!" she declared.

One memorable moment that stands out for Katy was when she had a bloody nose during a run, and Coach Megan came to her aid. "Coach Megan gave me her shirt and let me bleed all over it!" Katy laughed.

Katy aspires to leave a lasting legacy as a trailblazer who strives for excellence. "I feel like it helped me get started on my legacy, but I am not done creating my legacy!" she exclaimed. "And I hope people remember me as the girl who went from not so great to being the best in school history!"

Katy Zang TV Track and Field Athlete

The first Blue and Golf profile is no stranger to Vikings nation. Katy Zang a returning sophomore, 2nd currently in the State of Ohio for the 1600 and top 3200m runner in Ohio. In a recent release, Coach Pete Gegick said “Katy’s runs are courageous. She goes to the front and stays there until the race concludes. It is highly difficult, painful, and something that requires a level of physical and mental stamina that the rest of us, coaches included, probably can’t comprehend”. Zang has the highest finish at Indoor State in Teays Valley history and led most of the 1600 race at the Rocky Brand Invitational, it was the fastest women’s 1600 performance in school history. “I’ll steal Tony Holler’s quote: “Kids are great at what they love”. Katy loves running. She has a lot of ability and wants to compete every time she steps on the track and when you combine that with a bunch of talented teammates who she trains with, a supportive family, and a fantastic coach in Megan Tamasovich-you’re going to have some incredible outcomes with that recipe” coach Gegick added. Coach Megan Tamasovich said “Katy is a just overall a great person to be around! She is very supportive of her teammates, committed to the work that she put in, and when she races she always gives 110%. Leading up to Friday/Saturday races Katy has her base mileage, long run, and workouts. She has really adapted well to the weekly training. When Katy steps on the start line she is totally locked in, she races with so much confidence, and will always be competitive. After the race you can ALWAYS find her cheering on the other girls who are finishing, passing out water to people, giving high fives, and telling her competitors “good job”— all with a smile on her face. Overall she is truly a one-of-a-kind person and athlete and I am excited to see how the rest of this season plays out for her”

I had the honor of connecting with Katy Zang for A Blue and Gold Profile. Something that surprised me is the sophomore was not always aware of her talents, “It was just last year when I was 15 years old that I found out I was good at long-distance running and I used to hate running my freshman year, I didn't even finish most of my cross country races freshman year. Zang said. She mentions Coach Zach Frank in helping her game plan, “Coach Frank helps me stay motivated with his awesome advice before my races, he gives me good pep talks before and goes through strategies with me” Zang also spoke about how she does an hour of yoga before races to calm her mind down. “I love cross-training or riding my bike. Or any kind of exercise I can enjoy I will do.” Zang added. Training, Teammates, and one last important ingredient” for this recipe as Coach Gegick said was family, Zang would say ” My mom and my dad are always screaming for me when I am racing, my dad normally stands right before the last 100 meters to make sure I have a kick at the end of my race”. To close she was asked, in her young high school career what does she want to be known for or accomplish, she said “My goal is to have broken all of the distance records and to have helped shape my team positively. I want to be remembered as a fast girl that came from nowhere and who was a great leader and inspiration for my team.UPDATE: Katy finished second at the Berlin Invitational with a time of 10:49.65 for the 3200 and it is Teays Valley Athletic’s record”