Running, Sports

Royer Reflects on Racing, Coaching

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HARDWICK — Former Hazen Union student Jessica Royer was hired in November 2024 as head coach for the Wildcat indoor track program this winter. Royer is a Green and Gold Scholar, member of University of Vermont Honors College and earned America East Honor Roll status for registering a GPA of 3.5 or better.

Royer, now a junior at University at Vermont, finds achieving a balance between coaching and self-development is essential. Although this can present some challenges, she says it’s worth it.

“It can be challenging to balance my college running schedule with coaching but Aaron [Hill] and Netdahe [Stoddard, at Hazen] have been supportive and flexible, I couldn’t have done this without them. Netdahe was a huge part of helping me support the runners and developing a plan for the season.” Royer said.

Since becoming an NCAA athlete, she has had to learn how to balance everything, even without coaching. This was a huge learning curve, according to Royer. The transition from solo athlete to teammate was a significant one.

“I wasn’t on the team my freshman year and ran on my own. If I had a busy day or a hard week of exams, I could push running aside and pick it back up when things calmed down. Now as a member of the team that isn’t an option. Every day I’m committing a minimum of two hours to running, strength training and/or recovery. We practice at 6:30 or 7 every morning and are on the road most weekends. It’s tricky to find a balance that allows you to be your best in all aspects of college but it’s doable and so worth it!”

Royer began competing as a child, growing up participating in multiple sports year round. She says competition came as part of the gig, and didn’t put much thought into it. The same sentiment applied to running, when Royer joined the cross-country team in middle school. Royer said she didn’t think about the races until the day of. “In high school, I put more thought into competitions, but at the base level I was just having fun.”

Royer lends credit to her role models and coaches. “In high school I was lucky to be surrounded and supported by strong role models. I ran with Netdahe for six years and he helped me foster a deep love of running.”

Royer said Stoddard’s program finds the perfect mix of challenge and keeping it fun and enjoyable. She said she was fortunate to have the chance to run for Emily Willems in her senior year. “She expanded my love for the sport and deepened my understanding of the different aspects that go into developing yourself as a runner. Obviously running at the college level adds a layer of pressure but reminding myself why I enjoy running helps keep me calm and grounded. Having such a large support system gives me the confidence to have lofty goals. If I fall short, they’ll be there to help keep me on pace to try again.”

Royer volunteered last spring as a middle school track coach for Mater Christi in Burlington. Having such a positive experience working with young athletes, she was excited when the Hazen position became available.

“Hazen and the greater community pour so much into the development of young athletes, and both my sister and I have benefited from that support in a big way. So now, as a coach my hope is to pay that forward for upcoming athletes.”

Royer identified some of the key takeaways from coaching thus far: “One of the most rewarding things as a coach is watching the moment of realization when a runner accomplishes something they thought was out of reach. It is empowering for them and transferable to all other areas of their lives.”

Royer went on to express her gratitude for her own coaches, saying, “Throughout my life I’ve been lucky to have such amazing role models, many of them being coaches. Netdahe, Ms. Willems, and my college coach, Matt Belfield, have helped me fall in love with running but have also taught me numerous skills that I use every day in other areas of my life.”

Royer continued to reflect on her experience. “Running is still a team sport but individual in the sense that no one is going to do it for you. It doesn’t matter how good your team is, if you don’t put in work you’re not going to get better. There are days when it’s hard and it feels impossible, but knowing that I have 50 women depending on me to get out of bed is motivating.”

“I hope I can make a positive impact in the lives of the runners I coach in the same way my coaches have left lasting impacts on my life,” said Royer

She is not alone in her passion for running. Her sister, Cassandra Royer, is also an athlete. Jess said she grew up running alongside her sister. “My mom always had us out and about participating in local fun runs and exploring the dirt roads. In middle school, we both joined the Cross-Country team at Hazen, and it progressed from there. We have a lot of fun with it, and doing it together is even better.”

With both sisters at UVM their athletic careers remain intertwined, much to Jess’ delight.

“She’s my best friend and to have something in common that we both dedicate so much time to is really special. I’m over the moon to have her with me at UVM. We’ve always run together and to have that continue is the best thing in the world. Running at UVM under Coach Belfield’s guidance has boosted my confidence and I’m thrilled to be able to grow alongside her. My sister inspires me daily and just knowing we’re both out there working hard and doing our best is comforting.”

Royer said she is excited to continue running competitively at the Division 1 level. “I’m excited to continue running competitively at the Division 1 level. Joining the team at UVM was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The strength that comes with being a part of a team with 50 other dedicated women is incredible. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Royer said one of the most valuable lessons she’s learned is how important it is to believe in yourself. She recalled how daunting it was to walk onto a D1 team, at first feeling like she didn’t belong. “I was so nervous I almost blacked out, but I took a chance on myself and went for it. You will have so many people say you can’t do something, or you aren’t good enough. If we listened to every negative comment no one would accomplish anything. If you want to do something, do it. It sounds cliché but when you have enough faith in yourself and put in the work, it honestly doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”

The Hazen Union indoor track season has concluded, but Royer’s running escapades will continue. UVM indoor track will continue to compete until early February, heading to Boston on January 25, then New York City on February 1 and 8, for back-to-back weekends.

Raymobda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.

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