Danville, Ky. -
(This is the final part of a four-part series with Centre College national champion Chloe Hein).
In today's college athletics world, it is not unusual to see a star athlete from a smaller school opt to transfer to a bigger school with more resources and more exposure.
Centre College senior Chloe Hein won both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Division IIII national championships last season. She was named the Outstanding Female Performer at the outdoor championship because she also placed both in the triple jump — a relatively new event for her since her high school coach never even let her try the event — and the 100-meter dash. She's now an 11-time All-American who seems to be peaking and continuing to improve her performances.
Has Hein ever thought of perhaps transferring to a bigger school?
"There's nothing like that floating around in my head," she said. "I have so many friends here. I have a supportive staff academically and athletically, and I was not this girl that was jumping that far when I came in here. I was made by my coaches, from the staff here, from the supportive atmosphere, and I would never want to leave that.
"I've seen cases where people go D1 and it doesn't suit them, and I don't want that to happen to me. I would prefer to stay with my support system, and there's no point to leave when the only thing left to gain is money because I was never money-oriented with track and field. It was always about, for me, staying in shape mentally and physically.
"I came to Centre College specifically because the campus was beautiful. The staff seemed like they really cared. It's a smaller school. I really care about my academics. At the end of the day, track and field at the beginning was just an add on to stay in shape, but now I'm trying to see that balance between academics and athletics, and it's changing as I've gone through Centre College.
"At first, track was passive to me. I was obviously very dedicated, but as time went on I realized that there was more potential. So even though track is a much bigger part of my life right now, I wouldn't say it's my whole personality because at the end of the day you have to be driven by other things. You can't have your goals be your only goals, or else you'll get consumed in the results and not the process."
That's an old-school personality and a bit refreshing considering how revenue driven big-time college athletics are. Hein wants no part of that.
"I see how greed can consume people, and I would never like to consider myself that type of person. I am very blessed, and I'm very aware of all of the good things that I've had, and the fortune that I've had to come across this program, to come across my academics, and everything," Hein said.
"I'm just somebody that doesn't want to take anything for granted. I had this opportunity. I'm first generation (college student in her family). I have a single mom who's been supporting me financially, and that's not an easy thing to do. I have my support system at home. I have people that I wouldn't say have high expectations for me, but them having no boundary for me is something that drives me to try to fulfill my goals and try to keep having more goals and more inspirations,
"Alot of people take for granted the small goals that they have, and especially when they accomplish really big goals, they take for granted all the other aspects of their life, and I never want that to happen."
