ALUMNI: Kaitlin Goodman

By Grayson McKim,
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Davis High alumna Kaitlin Goodman placed 11th in the 10-kilometer event at the USA Track & Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon this past July. Although Goodman did not qualify for the Olympics, her desire to get better did not stop.

“It’s the start of a new Olympic cycle now. The Rio games have come and gone, and I’m already looking ahead to 2020 in Tokyo. I aspire to be competitive at the Olympic Trials, and compete for an Olympic spot,” Goodman said.

Goodman has also attended a number of international events and competed for Team USA in Scotland last January.

“It was my first time representing the United States. Definitely a memorable moment,” Goodman said.

Goodman’s running career started at age eight when she ran her first 5-kilometer race. She later ran as part of the cross country team for her junior high school and continued into high school.

Goodman’s motivation to run stemmed from her father.

“My dad is the track and cross-country coach at DHS, so running had always been around the house and a part of my life through him,” Goodman said.

Bryce Gregg, Goodman’s younger brother, elaborated on the family’s influence on Kaitlin.

“We have a pretty athletic household. Most of us swim or run, which kind of inspires us to get really good at our events,” Gregg said.

Goodman said that the hardest part of the running lifestyle was finding the ability to control how much you push yourself, but that there are also many rewards.

“Running makes me a better spouse, employee, and person, and you meet so many new people,” Goodman said.

When she is not running, Goodman works as a freelance marketer and is in graduate school at Brown University, studying public health. She lives with her husband in their Rhode Island home.

Goodman, a graduate of DHS, gives the high school a lot of credit for her success as a runner and person. She thanks the school for giving her many friends and originating her dream to “run at a high level.”

Goodman also admires her DHS teachers, grateful for their endless support.

“[Ms. Neagley] gave me the writing skills that set me up for college and beyond,” Goodman said.

She also received support from her swim coach, Pete Motekaitis.

“He saw the athletic ability in me that I didn’t see in myself,” Goodman said.