Star Valley High School’s Gracey Visser (Senior), Carlee Angell (Junior), Evelyn Scharmann (Sophomore) and Kelsie Dunne (Sophomore) who broke the school 4X800 record at state track last weekend, joined Coach Ty Draney in the SVI Radio studio to speak with Duke & Dahl during First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday.

(0:00) Duke it down with you in studio this morning and joined by the star buddy lady Braves (0:05) 2026 4 by 800 team live in studio today (0:08) That’s Kelsey done Evelyn Sharman Carly Angel and Gracie Visser all in studio coach tight training in studio with them as well ladies (0:16) Thank you so much for being here (0:17) Gracie we have to start with you as the lone senior (0:22) You’re graduated. You’re done. It’s over and you’re (0:27) You’re coming off the what two minutes of sleep last night, I mean it was a graduation party yesterday.

So thanks for being here (0:32) Yeah, I’m a little tired (0:35) But you’re trained for this you’ve trained you trained already being tired (0:40) So you’re you’re ready to perform? Well, first off you’re this you’ve been what one of the team captains this last year talk about (0:48) this group right here, let’s start with this group here this quartet and maybe how you guys came together and and (0:54) How you were able to accomplish setting a new record to four by eight, um, yeah, this group is pretty great (1:00) I have enjoyed it so much. I (1:04) Think that we were able to achieve this record like it started last summer (1:07) We put in a lot of miles together, right? I think this summer. I don’t know (1:13) I know we got together a thing a lot and (1:18) Yeah, really proud of this group (1:21) Greasy let’s talk.

Let’s talk about your your time at Star Valley High School as as a runner (1:26) You also competed in an individual and events that had a great outing in the 1600 at state track as well, right? (1:32) So what is it about running the distance that you liked and and really caught hold with you? I (1:38) Always joke like I’m not super coordinated to do other things (1:42) Distance running just works out because you don’t have to be super coordinated. So I (1:47) I think it just caught hold because (1:51) The group of people it’s been coach (1:53) You know the record that you ladies broke (1:59) Was full of division one athletes did I’m sure coach trainees talked to you about that the the 2010 group (2:06) Audrey West Randy Robinson, Lexi Erickson (2:10) Haley Riggs, I mean, that’s that’s quite a quartet. They and that but it’s been a few years (2:15) Did I guess what I’m asking is was there anyone that you kind of as (2:19) Girls growing up kind of looked at and say those are some some people I would like to emulate (2:25) Yeah, I didn’t really know about running until (2:29) Middle school.

So once I got to the high school and saw like Haley Riggs her Gatorade banner her records. I was like, oh, yeah time to (2:37) Hopefully get those one day, but excellent. So Gracie what’s next for you now that it’s all done official (2:45) I’m going to the College of Southern, Idaho and Twin Falls to run cross and track (2:49) Perfect.

What advice do you have for not only these three next to you? (2:54) But but all the all the the next group of star body athletes just have fun with it. I think (3:02) Yeah track is for fun. That’s kind of why they came up with it.

So I think sometimes I (3:07) Gets lost through the hard work and like the bad races, but you just have to remember it’s for fun (3:13) Do it for fun (3:14) Carly let’s have you come on here. So they pull that mic over to you a little bit (3:19) Talk about this this group this this this four by eight group. Who’s (3:24) What are some of the personalities you got a senior a junior and a couple of sophomores? (3:28) But who are like, who’s the jokester? Who’s the leader? Who’s who’s the one that names the baton stuff like that? (3:36) I would say Gracie is probably like the leader (3:38) she’s just been like she’s been a really good team captain and it’s fun running with like (3:43) Because these two are only sophomores and so they’re really fast with being sophomores (3:47) And Kelsey just gets kid faster and faster and then Gracie just broke the record and Kelsey broke the record (3:53) So it’s really fun like being on the four by team with two record holders (3:58) So is there a name for the baton? (4:01) There’s no name this year.

Sometimes there’s a name (4:09) Okay (4:13) Carly what does it take (4:15) To have success in a team event like this as maybe opposed to an individual one (4:22) You just really have to like like when we were in an ad state (4:25) I think we all kind of like believed in ourselves that we could break the four by eight because we had a talk with (4:30) Journey because he was giving us like he’s like, okay (4:32) We just need to break ten and we actually broke it by a couple more seconds than just ten minutes (4:37) So it was really fun just like believing in ourselves (4:40) like I (4:41) like running in the four by eight more than the open eight because you just run for your team and you can just see like (4:46) your teammate like waiting for you with like (4:48) Just waiting for you like when you’re running with the baton. You’re like, okay, I was there. I don’t know (4:53) Well, I’m gonna bring this up just because the season’s over.

There’s no more worried about it (4:57) You got to be worried about dropping the baton, right? I mean, that’s like the number one thing (5:02) In fact, I tried to never bring it up or have the thought in my head. It’s like then it’ll be my fault (5:06) How often does that run through your head? It’s like don’t drop this or is it constant? (5:11) I feel like it happens more in like sprinting because they’re like just like running through it (5:15) Oh, we’re running fast too, but we just have a little more time (5:18) but sometimes my hands are a little sweaty for being nervous, but I think usually I have a pretty good grip on it cuz (5:25) Love it also in studio the two sophomores Kelsey Dunn and Evelyn Sharman. Let’s bring you guys on to this Evelyn (5:31) Let’s start with you (5:33) What’s it feel like to be an underclassman running with these two and breaking that school record (5:42) Now you’re you are a coach’s kid as well you’ve got (5:47) Parental figures that that help you run as well (5:51) Is that is that better or is it harder to do or or do you like what you what you get in that in that? (5:56) Space, um, I definitely like it because my dad is the one who got me into running (6:02) And I’m so glad cuz I love running (6:06) What? (6:08) By the time you get to Gracie’s position and day after graduation, right? (6:14) What what would you love to have accomplished as a runner for star body high school track and field? (6:21) I don’t know like just (6:24) Maybe break some records.

I have no idea. No, that’s fair. We’ll just see when we get there (6:31) Now Kelsey wanted to talk to you you and Gracie (6:35) Both broke the 16th.

This is a different record break (6:38) We’re gonna I’m gonna bring up all the record to the coach training in a minute, but you both broke the 1600 (6:45) and then obviously you’re both part of this four by eight talk about the experience this year in terms of (6:53) Maybe going clear back to the fall when you started cross country and then now to here (6:57) Finishing at the end of outdoor track and and how you kind of capped it off with that (7:01) But what’s what has been your your impressions of how all that came to be? I? (7:06) think at the very beginning of the season like (7:09) running and (7:10) Going out there like putting yourself out there like was so intimidating and like you’re always like battling with yourself (7:16) Like am I like really good enough for this or like can I do it? (7:19) but I think as a team there’s such a (7:23) like confidence in each other that like boosts your confidence in yourself that like (7:29) Makes you want to chase after these things and get your goals and like watching everyone else succeeded like gives you this (7:35) Hope that I can like get there one day, too. I think (7:41) Gracie being team captain was like such a blessing for all of us this year (7:44) I don’t think we would be where we are if she wasn’t but I (7:49) think just like sticking together and (7:53) Being there for each other like through all of our highs and our lows and like the tears and the laughs like (7:58) that’s what it really comes down to is like the running is just the bonus and (8:01) breaking the records is just the bonus like it starts with the little things and (8:07) Love at school record holders in the Star Valley four by eight hundred Kelsey Donne Evelyn (8:12) Sharman Carly Angel and Gracie Visser all in studio you guys congrats. That’s fantastic (8:18) Congratulations to you coach Draney.

Let’s have you talk about this unit specifically and (8:22) As you saw them kind of come together over the course of the season in this particular event (8:28) What was that like for you and then see it all culminate there at State last weekend? (8:32) Well, they can they can tell me if I’m wrong, but as I remembered about a year ago (8:36) There were some frustrations that bubbled over at the same race that and we had a had a big powwow (8:44) And we’re like, hey, this is what we need to remember, right? (8:47) Yeah, I was like this these are these are some things we need to do, you know, because it’s hard (8:51) I feel like the success that we’ve had as a program and especially on the boys side is what Kelsey said it better than I (8:58) can but when you see other people around you doing those same things and we’ve (9:01) We just we haven’t been able to catch in mass like they can’t remember when you know (9:06) My first years as a coach our girls team was way better than our boys team (9:10) I remember the boys hiding at the back of the bus when we’re making (9:14) Having firetruck rides and things like that, right? (9:16) And so for them to empower each other because at the end of the day, I’m just another old guy saying hey (9:23) This will make your life better or whatever (9:25) But that power that they they have to encourage and pull each other along and and it’s it’s not easy. It’s it’s (9:35) It’s always a real challenge when you (9:38) Rarely are you gonna have a day when everybody has a great day, right? (9:41) and so to be able to know when to pick each other up and when to you know, and (9:47) Do those different things and and so it’s been it’s been (9:50) Exciting. I think that was just kind of the start and then of all the reasons that they’ve been saying (9:55) the the catalyst to watch that grow and we’re excited to you know, see that continue to grow as (10:01) as the rest of the gals catch and know the vision I (10:06) Guess just kind of coattailing on that thought in terms of the whole team kind of pulling forward with you know (10:12) There was a lot of broken records this year, you know on the girls side (10:16) Obviously we had this 4×8 you had the 1600 yet addy tie the the triple jump.

Am I missing any other ones? (10:23) Oh, well the Abby Abby, you know (10:26) Breaking the discus in the shot every time she’s going out there (10:29) Sometimes every time she threw it (10:32) Yeah, it’s she just throw a series that it was she’d break her own record (10:36) She’d have six throws for the day and break her own record six times (10:40) It was amazing and then obviously on the boys side as well. You had (10:45) Uso Elia mentality broke the the discus in the shot Jonah broke the shit the discus for a minute (10:51) Well for a couple weeks and then and then Jonah McClure broke the the long jump record (10:58) I mean, I’m just saying there’s there’s been a bunch of stuff this year and (11:02) That’s got to be pretty gratifying as a coach to kind of see that all happened in such a short period of time in two (11:08) months, yeah, I think it (11:11) it’s for all those same reasons, but we were I was talking with our staff and I think (11:16) being one of the smallest for a schools is (11:20) We know it’s it’s way harder to (11:23) Win a win a state title, especially in track where there’s just so many spots (11:27) You got to feel to accumulate those points, but I love it (11:31) And I’ll hopefully the rest of my career we stay at for a because it just it forces you to bring out your best (11:37) You know when when in these same races they broke their records central broke the state record, you know (11:44) Things like that are going on and and you know, not that that can’t happen in other smaller schools (11:49) but it it it really does kind of pull out the best and allow for your kids to (11:54) To show off and believe that they can do it to coach want to ask about some of your leaders (11:59) Of course, we have Gracie in studio now (12:01) So I’ll ask you specifically (12:03) what you had from from Gracie as a team captain and what you saw out of her as a leadership role and then maybe some (12:09) Of the other seniors that that really helped pull this team together throughout the course of the season. Oh (12:15) No, I don’t (12:16) Got something in my (12:20) No, she’s you know, I think (12:24) Gracie’s (12:25) Biggest strength is is is her empathy.

She’s worked through a lot of things (12:30) She really understands, you know (12:32) the ups and downs and and that even when you’re trying your hardest it doesn’t go the best and and I think you know (12:39) that’s a that’s probably her biggest strength is their empathy and an understanding in those moments and then just (12:46) Couple coupled with the tenacity you just you keep going right? We talked a lot about it’s never (12:52) We just need it to be trending upwards (12:56) It’s like you’re for those people that have stocks or something. I imagine but but you gotta have it (13:02) you want it trending upwards but there’s just lots of peaks and valleys and and that that sort of thing and and and we do we (13:08) The kids roll their eyes and again think it’s just another dumb old guy thing (13:12) I say but I we always try to say hey, let’s go play track (13:16) All right, everything else you’re gonna go play and and and we get wrapped up in (13:23) Outcomes and marks and and so we talk a lot about that and and and just raising the floor (13:29) As opposed to the ceiling because it’s it’s a hard especially in life of a distance runner (13:33) You compare yourself to your best time every time and that’s just impossible, right? (13:38) And so we talked about how but you know (13:41) So it’ll be frustrated with a race and we’ll be like well, you know a year ago. You would have been stoked (13:46) To have a race this bad, you know, and so it just managed some of that stuff (13:51) But anyway, she’s been a great great example and it just takes time (13:55) She spends she spends time with her team and it’s you know, just it takes it takes a lot of time (14:02) you bringing you ladies back on for just a minute of that (14:07) Seems to be a theme.

It seems like yes, there is a game. There is a race (14:11) there is something like that, but it seems like it’s the connections between each other’s teammates and (14:16) And classmates that that kind of stick and it seems especially pointed right after graduation with some of that stuff taking place (14:23) But guys, what would you tell? (14:25) Let’s let’s tell those the the the the fifth and sixth grade girls that might be listening to this (14:30) Well, what would you tell them that you would like to see or that you would hope that they would know that maybe you wished (14:36) You knew when you were younger (14:40) I’ve always kind of known this but like journey (14:43) He will still like take us home even if we have a bad race (14:46) He just loves us and I’m so thankful that we have a coach like journey who just puts in like a lot of time (14:53) for us (14:53) Like the hours that he puts in for like track and like cross country is crazy and he’s been doing it for a long time (14:59) But I just say yeah, just come out and have fun and put yourself out there (15:05) Perfect. Gracie will wrap it up with you (15:08) again, congratulations (15:09) What are you going to remember most about your time as an athlete for star body high school (15:15) Probably just all the good times.

We’ve had together like not necessarily like the running (15:20) like I’d say like (15:22) For sure after we finished the four by eight (15:25) We’re still hugging. It’s a good time (15:28) Perfect. Well, congratulations again, Gracie.

Wish you the very very best. Thank you, especially for coming in this morning after (15:39) The (15:41) Star Valley lady Braves four by eight hundred Kelsey done Evelyn Sharman Carly Angel and senior Gracie Visser with coach Ty Draney (15:48) Thank you so much guys. Appreciate it and (15:50) We’ll catch up with you next time.

Appreciate it. It’s all part of first Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday this morning on the SBI radio network