Senior Fayette track standout Payton Kindle inked her national letter of intent to compete for the State Fair Community College Roadrunners in Sedalia next year. The state medalist made it official during a ceremony among family, teammates, friends, and coaches on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Kindle was a part of the Fayette girls’ team that placed third overall at the Class 2 State Track Championships last May in Jefferson City. In fact, her seventh-place finish in the 300-meter hurdles was the difference between tying for fourth place and claiming third outright.

“She was a vital part,” said Fayette coach Stacy Menees. “We only placed third by one point. Her finishing seventh in the 300 hurdles was the big part. That was something she did not want to do, but I talked her into it. And it was a huge success for our program.”

Taking a chance on the hurdles turned into an opportunity to compete at the junior college level and possibly beyond. State Fair coach Brad Hagedorn said he is recruiting Kindle as a hurdler. She will also likely be on a relay team and compete in the sprints.

“Certainly, we’re recruiting her to be a hurdler. And then everything down from there. She’ll be in a relay pool as well as being one of our top hurdlers,” he said.

Hagedorn said Kindle’s tall, lanky frame and strength are ideal for competing in the hurdles.

But Kindle didn’t hide her apprehension of moving up from the 300-meter hurdles in high school to the longer 400-meter hurdle race in which college athletes compete.

“I’m excited, but I’m nervous,” she said. “In college, it changes to 400-meter hurdles. I’m trying to work on getting faster and run at least a 45-second time in the 300-meter hurdles.”

Hagedorn acknowledged the extra 100 meters is an adjustment, but remained confident that Kindle will succeed. “It’s going to be a thing, and we talked about that. The training is going to be a little bit different. But she’ll be fine. She’s built for it.”

Even with a spot on the track team, Kindle’s primary focus will be on earning her associate’s degree in pursuit of a career in radiology. She also plans, at least preliminarily, to then move on to the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg to obtain her four-year degree.

State Fair often sends athletes on to UCM’s highly-regarded track program after their two years with the Roadrunners. There, Kindle could further her track career while pursuing a four-year degree in radiology.

“I want to get my degree as a radiologist and work for myself,” she said.

In the meantime, Kindle said she chose SFCC because she liked the town and the radiology program. Signing on to run track was an added bonus. I like the town. And when I visited, it just felt like the right school,” she said. “It was the best option for what I want to major in.”

While college competition is on the horizon, Kindle still has her final high school track season this spring. And coach Menees said she and the team have already set goals since placing third in the state last year.

“We have set our sights high,” she said. “We have one trophy, why not try to go get another this year?”

The Fayette girls are loaded again this season. Kindle not only won a seventh-place medal in the 300-meter hurdles, but she also helped the 4x200-meter relay team to an eighth-place finish and narrowly missed the finals in the 200 meters. The first meet of her senior season is scheduled for March 20 at Westran.