Klingler signs with Gillette College
Share
Tweet
Sisco Molina
Allyson Klingler (middle) signs her National Letter of Intent to run cross-country at Gillette College this season. Allyson is accompanied by her mother Shelly Ramos (sitting left) and father David Klingler (sitting right) and coaches Chris Klinghagen (standing left) and Tanya Kienlen (standing right).
WORLAND – When the cross-country season ended, senior Allyson Klingler thought her running career might be over with.
She wanted to run at the next level, but without any college offers the possibility of running at the next level didn't look like one that was going to happen.
But then Chris Kozlowski – the head cross-country coach at Gillette College – gave her a call. He wanted her to run for the team and offered her a full ride scholarship as well.
"It was really relieving. I was scared because I didn't think anyone was going to offer me anything or I wasn't going to get the chance to go to the next level," Klingler said. "But when I talked to him on the phone and he told me that he was offering me a full ride, it was just like a breath of fresh air.
"And now signing today makes it official and it's just a really great feeling."
Klingler capped off a successful senior campaign with a fourth place finish at the conference meet and also placed 17th at the state meet in Sheridan earlier this year. As a junior, Klingler finished sixth at the conference meet and 22nd overall at state.
She had the chance to take a visit to the school and officially meet the coaches and the runners, which she said was a good experience.
"Meeting the coach, he's really funny and seems laid back and a really nice guy. I hope that he will be just as great of a coach as my past two coaches," Klingler said. "Meeting all the girls was nerve wracking because I'm kind of shy, but getting to know them now instead of just jumping into it when the school year starts was really nice."
