Minter strives pay it forward as a coach

Maren Ostrem, Staff WriterMay 10, 2018Leave a Comment

Maren Ostrem

Track coach Kellan Minter works with a member of the boys track team in the early part of the season. Minter hopes he can be the same good influence on his team that his coaches were on him. “I learned more from [my coaches] about being a good person than I did about sports in general,” he said.

Kellan Minter is dressed in a puffy down coat, over a long-sleeved shirt, wearing a winter hat, and gloves. His face is slightly flushed with cold, and his breath makes clouds in the air. He wasn’t going skiing, or sledding, or ice skating. Instead, he was coaching a track practice. This year has been particularly challenging for spring athletes, as their seasons were pushed back because of snow and cold weather. Track and field participants have been forced to run outside on a track coated in ice, or to work out inside. The St. Paul Academy and Summit School track and field team even participated in an indoor track meet on April 22.

However, the less than ideal weather conditions have not been the only thing different about this year’s season, the team has a new head coach. Minter had filled in for US Physical Education teacher Cari Jo Anderson when she was on maternity leave in the fitness for life classroom but has now taken on a large role as the head coach of the track and field team. Minter participated in many sports during his high school experience and said that track and field was his favorite.

“I made the most connections, the most friends out of that, and… you get done with winter and you’re outside all of a sudden, and everything just feels a lot better during track,” Minter said.

Minter believes that a good coach is key to a good experience on a team. “I had a lot of really good coaches in high school and just growing up in general,” Minter said.

Minter hopes he can be the same good influence on his team that his coaches were on him.

“I learned more from [my coaches] about being a good person than I did about sports in general,” he said.

“Mr. Minter is a great coach. He brings an equal amount of pressure with fun and it makes a great environment where everyone wants to improve,” junior captain Koji Gutzmann said.

Overall, Minter is ready for the season and is optimistic about the future. He looks forward to getting to know more SPA students and helping them succeed on the course.

This story was originally published in the April print issue of The Rubicon.