This track and field season has been about consistency, preparation and making every opportunity count for Frontenac’s Ava Lilly.
Lilly entered the season with high expectations for herself after earning all-state honors as a junior and posting a personal-best throw of 122 feet. Rather than focusing only on results, she centered her approach on daily improvement and maximizing every practice leading into competition days.
“My primary focus this season has been to approach each day with a strong work ethic and to take advantage of every opportunity to improve,” Lilly said. “I’ve aimed to make every practice and competition meaningful in preparation for meet day.”
That mindset helped produce one of the biggest moments of her career at the Humboldt Invitational, where she broke Frontenac’s school record in the javelin. It was one of the milestones she had targeted entering the spring season.
“One of my main goals was to qualify for the state track meet and place, as well as to break my school record — which I was able to accomplish at the Humboldt Invitational,” Lilly said.
Lilly said one of the defining characteristics of her success has been consistency, both mentally and physically. She believes her determination to improve every day has helped her continue progressing among the state’s top throwers.
“One of my biggest strengths is my consistency and determination to improve daily,” Lilly said. “I also take pride in being a leader for my team, especially in the javelin.”
That leadership role has become important for Frontenac’s throwing group. Lilly said she enjoys helping teammates refine their technique while also encouraging them mentally before competitions.
“I enjoy helping my teammates by sharing technical advice and supporting them mentally as they prepare to compete,” she said.
Lilly’s offseason preparation also played a major role in her development this year. After volleyball season ended, she committed herself to daily workouts and throwing sessions to build strength and confidence before the track season officially began.
“This season, I focused on improving my confidence in competition and surpassing my previous personal record set during my sophomore year,” Lilly said. “To achieve these goals, I committed to training consistently after volleyball season, including daily weight room sessions and throwing workouts before track began.”
As the postseason approaches, Lilly’s goals remain ambitious. Individually, she hopes to capture league and regional championships while adding another all-state performance to her résumé. She also believes Frontenac’s girls team has the talent to compete at a high level collectively.
“From an individual perspective, my goals include winning league and regional titles, as well as qualifying for and placing at the state meet,” Lilly said. “From a team’s perspective, our girls team has strong, competitive athletes, and I believe we are capable of accomplishing these goals.”
