ELLENSBURG, Wash. (June 13) — To attain a perfect 4.0 grade point average for one year in college is impressive. To do it in back to back years is even more so. But to achieve that goal while competing as an intercollegiate athlete is truly remarkable. That's what Central Washington University long and triple jumper KELLIE SHREVE accomplished.
 
Shreve, who double-majored in clinical physiology and psychology, will graduate summa cum laude at the university's 123rd commencement tomorrow (Saturday, June 14) during graduation exercises at Tomlinson Stadium. That's the same venue where she practiced and competed the last two year. But Shreve wasn't always a track and field athlete.
 
From Sammamish, she started playing soccer at age 4 and became a standout as part of premiere teams and, later, at Eastlake High School. It was her soccer experience that actually helped her determine her career path.
 
"I knew from a young age that I wanted a profession where I could help people," Shreve said. "As I grew up that was shaped into athletics and sports. I suffered numerous injuries [playing soccer] and had gone to physical therapy and sport medicine doctors. That's why I decided on physical therapy as a profession."
 
Shreve initially enrolled at Gonzaga University. While taking human physiology courses, she played soccer there her freshman year, but not as a sophomore, in part, because of injuries, illnesses and trying to balance Division I soccer with the rigors of lab-based science classes.
 
"I felt like I needed a change and a transition after giving up a sport that had previously been so much of my life," Shreve explained.
 
So she transferred to CWU. Shreve chose Central because its bachelor's degree program in clinical physiology is academically based, and because of the sense of student-faculty community within the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Health Science. But, despite continuing to excel in the classroom, Shreve soon realized that she missed being a part of an athletic team.
 
"I've found that, when I have a structured and organized schedule, I tend to actually do better [in class] because I know that I have to get work done at a specific time," she pointed out. "Whether it's kicking a ball on the soccer field or running down the track it's also been my outlet to relieve stress. And it's a great way to meet friends."
 
Those were the reasons why Shreve joined the Wildcat indoor and outdoor track and field teams, where she was a long jumper and triple jumper.
 
"It was a sport I had always liked, but hadn't really had a chance to explore," she noted. "I met a great group of people and ended up really enjoying my experience."
 
Prior to Central, her last track and field experience had been in junior high school. However, Shreve learned the jumps quickly and made it to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference indoor championships in the triple jump this past season. She just missed qualifying for the GNAC outdoor championships.
 
"It was tough to adjust, especially with learning the events and getting back into a full varsity sport," she said. "The coaches and my teammates made it a really easy and fun transition. This year I felt that I was starting to perform better and accomplish my goals. I wish that I had more years of track or started it when I was younger."
 
Kevin Adkisson, CWU head track and field coach, added, "When somebody can come in with just the interest and desire, but not necessarily have the [track and field] background, that's impressive—especially for her, because she competed in a technical event. The triple jump is one of the tougher ones."
 
Shreve also interned this academic year at Northwest Physical Therapy in Cle Elum. She will continue her education next fall in the PhD program in physical therapy at Eastern Washington University.
 
"The reason I came to college was for academics and that's been the most important part to me," she stated. "But athletics has always been a part of who I am and it has helped me success academically. I feel like they're intertwined."