SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — A Parkland assistant coach is about to start on a new course.
Parkland School Board last week appointed Kelly Bracetty as the new Girls and Boys Cross Country Coach for the 2024-25 School Year.
She will replace Coach Steve Ott, who is stepping down to focus solely on coaching track, according to a news release. He previously led both track and cross country.
Bracetty will continue to work with the track teams, as well.
“We are so pleased that Kelly has accepted this leadership position and look forward to her continued success in coaching here at Parkland,” Athletic Director Andy Stephens said in a release.
Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run races on outdoor courses over natural terrain.
“A lot of those same lessons that can apply to your life as well.”Kelly Bracetty, the new Girls and Boys Cross Country Coach for Parkland, speaking about the sport
In an interview, Bracetty said her favorite thing about the sport is the life lessons people can take from it.
“Watching the athletes improve not just physically… but also helping their mental strength to get through times when they're pretty challenging out there on the course,” Bracetty said.
“A lot of those same lessons that can apply to your life, as well.”
Who is Kelly Bracetty?
Bracetty didn’t have an easy start to running.
“When I was born, I actually had to rely on braces to walk around,” she said.
“And just overcoming that and getting introduced into running from a young age really sparked my interest.”
Bracetty then went on to run for East Stroudsburg University in both cross country and track.
“My hope is to develop more interest in the sport and help other athletes, from a young age all the way up into high school to develop that love for lifelong running and really get the kids interested in our sport."New Parkland cross country coach Kelly Bracetty
She has coached cross country at many local high schools and colleges as both an assistant and head coach over the past 20 years.
Bracetty started as an assistant track and cross-country coach at Parkland in November 2022. She said she hopes to expand the cross country program in her new position.
“My hope is to develop more interest in the sport and help other athletes, from a young age all the way up into high school to develop that love for lifelong running and really get the kids interested in our sport,” Bracetty said.
