Oswego East Student Athlete of the Week-Kendra Standish

For her senior year, Kendra Standish decided to make a change . After spending nine years being home schooled, Kendra has made the transition to being a full time student at OE. By all accounts, it has been a very smooth transition, aided primarily because Kendra has been an integral part of the OE family since her freshman year. As a cross country and track athlete, Kendra has risen up to the challenge of excellence and leadership, which is why she is this week’s Oswego East student athlete of the week.

Kendra has been running for as long as she can remember. Her father, Anthony Standish, has been her biggest motivator, encouraging her to run at a young age and signing her up for 5K’s. As a sophomore, Kendra officially joined the OE family by competing in the cross country and girl’s track teams. For the past three years, Kendra has been an invaluable part of both programs, and along with teammate Abby Flammerseld, have provided the 1-2 punch for the cross country team this season.

The challenges that come with distance running are as mental as they are physical. The mental part is what Kendra loves about the sport, saying, “I love breaking through mental barriers through running. The lessons learned during cross country can be applied to life as well.”

Kendra’s drive and determination have earned her a place in the OE record books. She recorded the 8th fastest time in school history at Detweiller Park, and is the 5th fastest athlete from OEHS overall. As a sophomore, Kendra was one of three individual qualifiers for the sectional meet, and she helped lead the team to qualify for sectionals last year. She has been the team’s #2 runner this season, behind Flammersfeld, and has set personal records (PR’s) week in and week out.

Head coach Lisa Cook describes Kendra as, “one of the most disciplined and focused athletes I’ve ever coached.” She goes on to add, “It truly takes a strong pack to make a cross country team good, and Kendra is the type of athlete that has made our team great.” That pack mentality has helped the Lady Wolves climb into the top 25 in the state the past three weeks, with no signs of slowing down.

One might think the transition from a home school program to a more traditional setting may be difficult, but, if anything, Kendra has managed to pick up momentum. Her mother, Kristen Standish, says, “[Kendra] was looking forward to experiencing a totally different environment and way of learning, and has not been disappointed. Her coaches, teammates, counselor, and teachers have been very helpful in this endeavor.”

Being independent for so long has allowed Kendra to work on the characteristics that have helped her thrive: mental toughness and maturity. Kendra’s mental toughness has allowed her to bounce back through various injuries throughout her career, and her advanced maturation has made her an excellent leader for the Wolves. “[Kendra] is a leader by word and example. One of the things that stood out to me early in the season was how she welcomed and embraced the freshman by getting contact information to include them in group texts and other events.”

As a person, Kendra exhibits the same traits in her everyday life that she does on the course. “I am most proud of Kendra for her thankful heart and determination to prioritize what matters most, as well as her self-discipline, humility, willingness to serve others, and fervent desire to have a positive influence on the world,” says Kristen.

That positive influence over the world is what has called Kendra to majoring in nursing, with a minor in pre-medicine, in hopes of one day becoming a nurse practitioner. Although she is eyeing a few universities, her 1370 SAT score, 32 ACT score, and G.P.A. over 4.0 should give her numerous options when it comes down to making her final decision. Scott Johnson, Kendra’s Honors Principles of Biomedical Science teacher, is part of a team of people who have helped make Kendra’s transition to traditional education so smooth. In regards to Kendra’s transition and future career in nursing, Johnson says, “even though this is her first year in our building, she has seamlessly transitioned into the high school routine. Her successes in the classroom will certainly translate to a long and prosperous career in medicine.

For now, Kendra is hoping to be part of a team that qualifies for the state meet. She remains motivated to keep working, “mostly because of my team. My teammates support me and push me, so I see it as a responsibility to improve with them and for them. We are all working toward a common goal (qualifying for state), and I feel motivated to do whatever I can to help my team reach that goal.”

While this is her first year attending OE during the school day, Kendra has been a part of the OE family since her freshman year. Having taken a different path than most who will come here next year, she advises future Wolves to, “not allow the difficult things to get you down, because they will help shape you into the person you will become.” If Kendra and her teammates can remain mentally and physically tough, they might be in line for a program first state birth.