I am a Sports Writer

Now well under my belt, joining the UVU Review this semester is by far one of the best things I have ever done with my education. It is amazing how much I am learning from being on the staff and from other members of the staff. I absolutely love being part of such a great opportunity. I was asked yesterday by my editor if I would write the UVU Women's Basketball preview article for an upcoming issue. I am stoked beyond control to do that article! There is going to be many exciting articles to write with basketball season approaching! As for now, I am still covering the cross country men & women's team and have also started writing about the men & women's golf team. I am freak busy being that the paper is volunteer and unpaid time of mine, but it is so worth it because of how much fun it is! For this weeks issue my article was a blast to write. It was my first shot at doing a feature on a athlete. I had so much fun writing it, and learning that everybody has a unique thing about them. Here's my article, enjoy!

First year running at UVU and it won’t be the last
By Kira Terry

Jared Keller, a red shirt sophomore from Orem, doesn’t only enjoy running as a passion, but more importantly runs for his teammates.

Running cross country for Keller is all about his fellow teammates. “I love the team aspect. You rely on the other runners, you know your racing for your teammates and they are relying on you,” Keller says.

Keller grew up in Orem and began running in eighth grade. “I started to run track in junior high and been running ever since,” Keller said. He kept running through high school at Mountain View. “That’s when I really started running cross country,” Keller said.

After running for Mountain View from sophomore year on, Keller ran one year at the United States Military Academy at West Point in West Point, New York. Following a two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in McAllen, Texas, Keller transferred to UVU where he began his sophomore year with the cross country team.



Although Keller’s passion is running, he is currently studying Biology. “I want to go the medical route, not sure what, but want to practice medicine,” he says.

Being his first year running with UVU, Keller says, “This team is awesome, I just love the guys. We are really showing potential for what we can do.” Keller is happy with this season so far. “I feel really good. It’s been my first cross country season in a few years and it was really good to see that I could run with a lot of the top athletes in the state,” he said.

Keller went into this season with a few strong goals and did an amazing job at meeting them. “I wanted to be competitive, run with the lead packs and stay up there. I just really wanted to help contribute to the team, and I feel like I’ve done that,” he said.

Will we be seeing Jared Keller for the next two years running with the cross country team? “For sure, with out a doubt,” he says. “Next year we only loose one of the great guys. The sky is the limit, we all have big dreams.”

Since this year’s season is nearing an end, Keller says “It’s been a lot of hard work to get to where I’m at, but it’s been worth it.” Going into the Great West Conference Championships coming up on Saturday Nov. 1 at UVU, Keller is positive about how UVU will perform, “Team competition is going to be pretty tough, we want to win it, keep our pack tight, and take home the team title.”