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  • Dana Hills' Kimmie Conner

    Dana Hills' Kimmie Conner

  • Dana Hills' Kimmie Conner competes in the long jump at...

    Dana Hills' Kimmie Conner competes in the long jump at the CIF-SS Masters meet.

  • Dana Hills senior Kimmie Conner clears a hurlde on the...

    Dana Hills senior Kimmie Conner clears a hurlde on the way to a victory in the 300 hurdles at the Orange County Track and Field Championships.

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In a sport where the physical demands and mental stress of competing in one event often prove to be overwhelming, Dana Hills senior Kimmie Conner produced a 2010 season that saw her stretch both mind and body to their conceivable limits.

Balancing a schedule that saw her compete in five events this season, Conner attacked each with a focused intensity that helped put her name among some of the county’s all-time greats.

For a season of exceptional multi-event achievements, Conner has been selected as the Register’s 2010 girls track and field athlete of the year.


ALL-COUNTY: List of the All-County team.

COACH: Coach of the Year story.


“I never dreamed this would happen to me and I’m happy and thankful that it did,” Conner said.

Having already established herself as the county’s most versatile athlete in the eyes of many in her first three seasons, Conner quickly reinforced that notion at the season-opening Irvine Invitational, where she won the high jump and triple jump, while finishing second in the long jump.

Strong showings at the California Relays and the Dave Kurrule/Laguna Hills Invitational helped prepare her for the Arcadia heptathlon, where Conner placed third with 4,691 points, tops among all county athletes.

Conner acknowledged that a big reason for her success this season was how she prepared herself in the days leading up to a meet.

“The important thing for me is to eat enough food, get enough sleep two nights before a meet and to get enough hydration,” she said. “That really helps me prepare for what I know I will have to do.”

Conner would then put on a show for county fans at the Orange County Championships, winning the 100 and 300 hurdles titles. She also finished second in the long jump and cleared 5-5 in the high jump, the second best mark of the season by a county jumper.

She then went on to win titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles, as well as the high jump at the South Coast League finals before qualifying for the CIF-SS Division 1 Finals in all three at the CIF-SS Division 1 prelims. She also qualified in the long jump, becoming one of only three jumpers to go past 18 feet this season (18-1¾).

Conner stressed the importance of maintaining a proper mindset heading into multiple competitions against some of the state’s best during CIF.

“I knew that I would have a lot of things to do fast and I had to be ready to perform,” Conner said. “I just tried to stay calm and focused.”

At the CIF-SS Masters Meet, Conner’s ability to perform helped her advanced to the state finals in both hurdles races. Her time of 14.20 in the 100 meter hurdles was the fourth fastest wind-legal time in county history.

She then closed out her high school career by becoming only the fourth female athlete in county history to break 43 seconds in the 300 hurdles when she produced a time of 42.97.

Remembering all that she accomplished in 2010, Conner sees this season always holding a special meaning to her.

“When I look back on it, I’m going to be so happy,” she said.