| School: Benson | Graduation Year: 2009 |
Kayla Smith (Benson, 2009)
Year Inducted: 2020
Sport Played: Track and Field
Featured Member of the Month ~ September 2024
High School Honors: 3 Track & Field Letters. PIL champion in the 100m, 200m and Long Jump as a Sophomore. PIL and State Champion in 100m and 200m as a Junior and Senior. State Champion in the Long Jump as a Senior. Ranks #3 all-time in State 100m at 11.77 and 200m at 24.01. The 24.01 is still a State record.
Post High School Career: University of Illinois on Track & Field scholarship; BS degree in Community Health, 2013. Head track coach at De La Salle High School in 2017-18; Assistant track coach at Benson, 2019. Completing course work for a Master’s Degree in Sports Management through Southern New Hampshire University. Presently serves at Nike as a Senior Administrative Assistant. The PIL Hall of Fame Committee wants to congratulate these 36 people who have been selected in 2020. We regret that their formal induction has been delayed until 2021. We appreciate your patience as we all deal with the problems related to COVID and we look forward to a joyful induction in 2021.
Commentary:
My inspiration was my family! As a little girl, I always wanted to make my family proud. I came from a long line of athletes in my family, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that legacy. Without my family’s support, I don’t think I would’ve been as successful in track as I was. Every track meet from the age of seven, I knew I could always look in the stands and see my family there cheering me on. I thank my parents for allowing me to find my gift, which was track.
My coaches Robert Curry, Leon McKenzie and Ronnye Harrison helped me reach my full potential from AAU track all the way up to high school. All three of them played equal roles in my success, from the beginning until the end. I cannot thank my coaches and family enough, for all they have done for me
My two biggest high-lights during my track and field career were my senior year and a college scholarship offer. The moment I committed to the University of Illinois Urbana – Champaign, on a full ride scholarship was the proudest moment of my life. To know that all my hard work I had done since I was a little girl was all worth it.