Lauren Hansen, Orono High School Class of 2018
Personal Records:
55m (in) - 7.37
60m (in) - 7.56
100m - 12.25
200m (in) - 26.43
200m - 25.27
400m - 1:00.18
Triple Jump - 36-1.25
MSHSL State Meet Record:
2017 4th Place 100 meter dash; 3rd Place 4x100 Relay (anchor leg)
Where were you born, and what were your first sports?
I was born in Minneapolis, MN. My first sports were dance, figure skating, skiing and soccer. I replaced dance with gymnastics, took a 6 year break from soccer and then eventually focused on track & field and soccer.
What have been your high school sports and what accomplishments have you and your team had over the years?
I play soccer and run track. I have competed in both for all four years of high school. For soccer, I was on the varsity team this year and we won the section championship. In the state tournament we won every game except the championship game to finish second in Minnesota Class A Girls. It was our only loss of the year!
Who coaches you and how do they help you?
Justin McCoy (Orono Head Coach) - he has coached me for all four years of high school and he has helped me with tons of encouragement. JMac, as we call him, has always believed in me and known what I am capable of and pushed me to be better. He has been so effective with me because he knows be pretty well.
Nathan Porter (Orono Sprints Coach) - he has coached me all four years of high school and helped me with handoffs and keeping me in line. Porter has been really effective for me because he has the same sense of humor as I do so we are always laughing, which I love to do. He knows me really well and always pushes for me to run a 400 which is something I don't do very willingly but he always convinces me to anyway.
Bobby Crofutt (Orono Jumps Coach) - Bobby was my coach for three years of high school. Unfortunately, he was unable to return this year but he knew more than anyone what I was capable of and he was never shy about telling me to get out of my head. Bobby knows me pretty well which is why he was a good coach to me. Bobby mainly helped me with triple jump.
Melvin Anderson (Maximum Impact Training) - Melvin has been my coach for three years and he has helped with all of my technique and starts. I really attribute a lot of my success to him. My other coaches were more focused on developing me as a person, but Melvin was in the business of making runners. I wouldn't say that he knows me very well, rather his methods of coaching are very effective. Melvin once said to my mom "I told her she was going to the run the 800 and she hasn't stopped sprinting since."
Have you had any adversities in athletics?
My freshman year, I dropped the baton in the 4x100 relay at the Section meet. At the time, I was beside myself but it was a great teaching moment and caused me to work really hard on handoffs to hopefully avoid that happening again. There hasn't really been anything that has stopped me from trying to do my best. My freshman year, I had Osgood Schlatter's Disease (a knee growth problem usually effecting young people) so I spent much of that season in ice and managing pain, but then I grew 6" and by my sophomore year, it had improved. All athletes get small injuries, but nothing that you cannot get through.
Who have been some of your toughest opponents?
Molly Reighard - She was a sprinter (100/200/400) for Waconia and graduated in 2017. She is currently running at Loyola University in Chicago. We trained together in the winter and they are also in our conference. She is very talented and striving to beat her in a race was always something I tried to do.
Danielle Pioske - Sprinter (100/200) for Waconia. I always look forward to meets with Waconia as they have had a history of great sprinters.
Honour Finley - She was a sprinter (200/400) for Bloomington Kennedy. I was able to nose out a win vs Honour at Hamline Elite in 2017 in the 200. A week earlier she had nosed out a win over me at Irondale in the same event.
Kendra Kelley - Sprinter (100/200) for Cloquet. She beat me in the 200 at Hamline Elite in 2017 and she beat me in the 100 at State. I am looking to win a race against her.
Section 6AA - We are in, arguably, the toughest section in the state so I always focus on what it will take to prevail at sections and qualify for state. The top competitors include Charlotte DeVaughn, Faith Robinson, Sophie Triplett, just to name a few.
Who are some teammates that have inspired and motivated you?
Holly Harrison, Tricia Johnson, Kayla Gehring and Sally Richardson. When I was a freshman and sophomore, I got to work out alongside and run and triple jump with my cousin, Lily McKown which was really special to me (we set 2 relay records together - 4x200 and 4x400).
Who comes to your meets to cheer you on?
This could take a while - my family travels in a pack and I have incredible support: Gina Hansen (mom), Stewart Hansen (dad), Alex Hansen (sister), Jordan Hansen (brother), Wizzy (uncle), Merrill Hansen (grandpa), Diane Hansen (grandma), Lyle Nelson (grandpa), Becky Nelson (grandma), Gigi (grandma) the McKown's, the Hansen's, the Novack's, the Anderson's (all cousins and aunts and uncles), the Hughes (friends), Holly Harrison (teammate and friend who always comes to cheer me on) and Julia Harrison (mom of Holly and friend), Natalie Brekken (friend), Olivia Eriksson (friend), Rachel Constant (friend), and finally coaches and teammates.
What are your goals and what do you do for the mental training?
When I set goals, I think about where I want to be and what I need to do to feel like I am accomplished. As far as mental training goes, I don't usually get nervous except for 400's. At that point, I usually pray that my anxieties would be taken away and calmed. My goal is to be back at the state meet this year and run in the 100, 4x100 and 200.
How did the Orono Spartans do in 2017 and what can we expect this year?
2017:
- 1st @ Holy Family meet
- 6th @ Lakeville Mega Meet behind Minnetonka, Prior Lake, Lakeville North, Forest Lake and Elk River
- 2nd @ Spartan Invite behind Waconia
- 2nd @ Section 6AA True Team Meet behind Willmar - We qualified as a wild card for 2016 True Team state and finished 4th. Willmar is a perennial power house at True Team.
- 2nd @ Wright County Conference behind Waconia
This year, we are hoping to have
a solid team. We know the events where we are especially
strong. We have good depth on the sprint side with fellow seniors Tricia
Johnson and Kayla Gehring. Sally Richardson (junior) is also off to a great
start. We graduated some strong mid and long distance runners last year but
have a really strong nucleus of young kids. We have new additions that we
hope will help bolster some of our field events.
- We are a small school (approx 200 kids/class) in comparison to much of our competition. Running against the better competition and bigger schools helps when we get to the meets like the state meet.
What do you do besides play soccer and participate in track & field?
I met criteria for All State Scholar in 2016 and 2017 but I don't believe it was submitted. I have a cumulative GPA of 3.7 and weighted GPA which includes AP classes of 4.0. I was a Unified - head coach of track and field, basketball partner, flag football partner. I also am a Sunday School Teacher and a Nanny.
What do you do at Orono that might be considered unique and fun?
We always wear two french braids. We trademarked them as 'doble.' We wear them for every meet. When I say 'we,' I mean our 4x100 team and Holly Harrison (pole vaulter). It started with my cousin when I was a freshman and we continued the tradition. It's a really big superstition that we have and we cannot run without them.
What are you college plans?
I will be running at the University of Minnesota and pursuing a major of Sociology of Law and Criminology.
Technique Tips on the Sprints from Lauren Hansen:
Stay low when you come out of the blocks, keep a 90 degree angle in your arms, breathe, run fast and turn left.
