Streaks Alumni Profile: Kristen Watters Adams 1985

The Yearbook sums up Kristen’s career!!

Kristen Watters is one of greatest athletes in Silver Streak history. As a cross country runner, she finished 5th, 6th, and 7th at the State meet. ALL of the Chicago suburbs were in her class. In some sports there can be 10-15 events, in cross country there is only one event. 

Kristen Watters was First Team All-State three years in a row!! In the area, Kris won big invitationals often by 2 minutes over the second place finishers as she dominated the fields. She held the course record on most every course she ran. She trained with our boys team, and was good enough to be the 5th or 6th runner on a Streaks boys team that was State ranked.

Massey- What were some of your favorite classes/teachers at GHS? 

Kristen- Some of my favorite classes and teachers were the American Studies classes with Mr. Devore and Mr. Patterson, biology with Mr. Maurizi, rhetoric with Mr. Diemer, the patience of the entire Driver’s Ed department especially Mr. Albright and Mr. Hickey, what may have been the first co-ed PE class at GHS with Mr. Fisher my senior year and of course my cross country coach Coach Massey! 

Massey- What are some of your favorite memories of your GHS years and your experience as a runner for GHS? 

Kristen- During high school I really enjoyed going to the football and basketball games. That was the place to be on Friday nights in the fall and in the gym in the winter. I remember the student section always being full especially for conference games. 

Some of my favorite memories from cross country were riding my bike from Churchill to the high school for practice my 9th grade year every day in the fall. Having the support of my parents every time I ran anywhere - My mom and/or  dad were at every single meet or athletic event for all four of us kids from the fall of 1981 until the spring of 1997. 

The Canton Invitational my freshmen year where I ran my very first cross country race and won my very first trophy ever! Getting my first pair of spikes my sophomore year for cross country. The time trial on the Detweiller Course my senior year where I ran my first 5:15 mile in cross country and the excitement of the State meet at Detweiller where there was a one class race for the girls, if you did well it was against the best the state had to offer. 

The Friday night pasta nights at Happy Joe’s with the entire cross country team and the end of season party at Coach Massey’s with a ping pong tournament. Running with the boys during cross country practice and trying every day to close the gap because I knew that was going to make me better and faster. Getting the end of season stat books with all of the times, stats and messages for the next year's team. Those are some of my best memories from high school. 

The Adams- Jacob, Seth, Kristen, Mike, Maddie, Matthew

Massey- What was your experience running for Iowa and as a student? 

Kristen- At Iowa being part of an amazing group of young women who were focused on improving every day was a great experience. The opportunity to run for the University of Iowa and to compete as a Hawkeye was something that I never took for granted. I enjoyed every minute of work it took to be part of that program. 

I only wish I had been able to complete my running career there. Getting sick at the beginning of my Junior year was devastating as an athlete and I had to find my way. Being at Iowa and attached to the athletic programs there was a blessing that I am still grateful for today. Even after I got sick, I was supported by the athletic department so it was where I was supposed to be.  I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts  in History and the ability to teach social science classes which is where I find myself today. 

Maddie and Matthew with “perfect” Salad

Massey- Share your career as a teacher and coach at LP. 

Kristen- I began teaching at LaSalle Peru Township High School in the fall of 2000 and have been teaching primarily World History ever since. I started teaching almost all sophomores and now I spend the bulk of the day with freshmen as well as one junior/senior AP European History class.  

I was an assistant track coach for 4 years, took a season off when I had my youngest son, then was head track coach at LP for 3 years, followed by 4 years as the head track coach at Waltham Elementary where my boys went to elementary school (we are a high school district with 9 feeder elementary districts). Took time off to watch my 3 boys compete and then have returned to being an assistant track coach as of last spring. 

I am scheduled to retire from teaching in the spring of 2030. Throughout the years I have stayed involved with the track and cross country programs by working at the meets when I have not been coaching. 

Mike, Seth, Kristen

Massey- Share as much as you want of what you/your family are up to today. 

Kristen- My husband and I live in Utica - the gateway to Starved Rock State park with our beagle Benji. Our oldest Jacob works in accounting for a local credit union, the middle Matthew is a math teacher in Cedar Falls, IA and is married to Maddie who is an athletic trainer. They have our granddog Salad, a “perfect” labradoodle, or at least that is what Matthew tells us. The youngest Seth is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and is a kicker on the football team. 

I still run as much as I can and have done the St. Jude Run from LaSalle Peru to Peoria the last two years. It is coordinated by my high school teammate Jim Schaefer and his wife Kelly! A wonderful event if you ever get the chance to be involved! 

Mike and I like to go golfing when we can and enjoy watching high school and college sports. My dad still lives in the Galesburg area and continues to be a supporter of Galesburg sports.

Massey- Advice for GHS students? 

Kristen- My biggest advice for high school students is to learn how to take notes and study before you leave high school - it is a skill that is transferable to jobs and further schooling. 

In terms of athletics - you cannot wait until the season begins to make it your best season ever.  It is a truism for all sports that athletes are built in the off season.  Cross country runners are built in the summer. Success comes as a result of the work when no one is watching you. Junk miles don’t get it done. The summer mileage and summer captain’s runs where we held each other accountable led to some incredible seasons for Galesburg Cross Country in the mid 1980s. 

And finally enjoy the ride. The times spent with teammates warming up, practicing and competing throughout high school and college are what I carry with me. Always a Silver Streak!