Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week: Johnsburg’s Caitlyn Casella

Name: Caitlyn Casella

School: Johnsburg, sr.

Sport: Track and field

Why she was selected: Casella captured the 100- and 200-meter titles at the McHenry County Meet on April 19 and set the meet record in the 100 in 12.19 seconds.

Casella, a three-time county champion in the 100, beat the previous mark of 12.38, set by Crystal Lake Central’s Celeste Madda in 2014. McHenry’s Kelly Huerta (12.29) and Prairie Ridge’s Katie Jewell (12.34) also beat the old record in a highly competitive race.

For her performance, Casella was selected as the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with sports writer Alex Kantecki.

What did it mean to you to break the McHenry County record in the 100 meters?

Casella: It meant a lot to break the record in the 100-meter dash. They had announced the meet record before the race, and I heard it was 12.38 seconds, which was not a time that was out of reach. I knew if I ran the race correctly, it was doable to break the record. The race was very competitive this year with Katie Jewell from Prairie Ridge and Kelly Huerta from McHenry. I have run against both of them before, and we were all in the running to win. All of us actually broke the record, Kelly running a 12.29 and Katie running a 12.34, which was very cool. I knew I was going to have to run an amazing race against them if I wanted to win.

Tell me about your two races in the 100 and 200. How did you feel those races went?

Casella: In the 100-meter dash, I had the wind at my back, which was a big advantage. I have been trying to work on my start, which is the weakest point in my race, and it was very clean this race. When I have a good start, my races usually work out, and I believe that’s what allowed me to win. In the 200-meter dash, my start was not very good, and the wind was not to my advantage coming off the curve. When we got to the break of the curve, I was sitting in fourth place, and I was worried, but my top-end speed is much better than my acceleration, so I was still relaxed, and eventually I pulled through. It was a very cold race by this point, and I had just the right amount of drive in me to push in the last 50 meters.

What are your goals for the rest of the season?

Casella: Before the season I had written out goals that I look at every day on a sticky note on my desk. My main goals are to always set a personal best at least once in the season. So far, I have set personal bests in my 100 and 200, which were my main goals. I would like to medal at the state meet in at least one event.

What do you do to prepare for a big meet?

Casella: To prepare for a big meet, I try to eat a filling meal the night before, like pasta. Then I try and eat somewhat healthier than usual, and I try not to do anything very stressful. I try not to have very strict superstitions, but I do have a couple just in case. I always braid my hair before a big meet because I feel like I run better with them. I always listen to the same playlist on the way to big meets. A ritual I do before I get into my blocks is I always do the same skips and stretches before I am set in my blocks.

What musical act would you most like to see in concert this summer?

Casella: I would like to go to Country Thunder this summer. Although I am not the biggest fan of country music, my friends go every year, and I think it would be a fun experience.

What is your perfect meal?

Casella: My perfect meal would probably be steak. On the side, I would want either Brussels sprouts or asparagus and mashed potatoes. Whenever I get the chance to have a nicer meal, this is always my go-to, although I don’t have it very often.

Who are three celebrities you would like to have dinner with?

Casella: Matthew Gray Gubler, Kim Kardashian and Ellen Pompeo, because they are all very different, but it would make for an interesting conversation. I would like to hear about all of their life experiences.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Casella: I would want to live somewhere that has mountains. I feel like living somewhere where the views are pretty and I can hike would be very relaxing and fun.

Who is your funniest teammate?

Casella: My funniest teammates would have to be Lila and Carly Duck. They are sisters, and every day they make the whole team laugh with their bickering. You never know what to expect when walking into practice, and it makes practice that much more fun.