Former Olympic heptathlete Kym卡特 is Poly’s new Athletic Director as of July 1, 2022. Carter has had a distinguished career as a professional athlete, track and field coach, nonprofit director and fundraiser. She was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.

Stepping into her new role, 卡特“有兴趣倾听别人，了解学校,“了解”体育如何融入保利预科的学生运动员生活.” In her first days on campus, this meant meeting individually with at least 27 head coaches, from the veteran of 47 years to the latest coaching hire. Her first impression: “They are a great bunch of dedicated people. 每个教练都向我表达了他们对在这所学校与学生们一起工作的兴奋之情.”

“Given the history of our athletic department, the impressive academic standing of our student-athletes, and the positive competitive trajectory of our sports teams, this was a desirable leadership position to fill, drawing interest from across the country,” 理查德·科索, Head of 澳门银河官方赌场. “Among those expressing a high interest, Kym卡特 was the most impressive, 提供了丰富的经验和必要的领导能力，以监督常春藤联盟的学术体育项目. 我们欢迎Kym加入保利预备队，并期待着她的领导，将我们的体育项目推向更高的高度. In her, we have the right person for the job.”

Carter Understands the Student-Athlete Experience

澳门银河官网 80% of Poly students are involved in an organized sport. 卡特希望所有的学生都有一个积极的运动体验-无论是在球场上还是在看台上的支持.  她能理解学生运动员经历的挑战和回报. 她在威奇托东H高中担任高三学生时创造了全国高中联合会的跳高记录.S. in Kansas, clearing 6 feet and 2 1/4 inches. She qualified for the 1980 U.S. 高二时参加奥运会选拔赛，高中跳高比赛从未输过.

虽然她直到高二才开始打篮球, 在她大四的时候，她被选为全州第一阵容和堪萨斯州第一女子球员. 像这样的荣誉使她成为了该州排名第一的高中男生和女生运动员. In her final year at 路易斯安那州 State University, 卡特转而参加七项全能，并获得了国际认可. 她在1987年女子老虎队赢得室内和室外东南锦标赛和室内和室外NCAA锦标赛中发挥了重要作用，这是历史上唯一的田径队, men’s or women’s, to achieve that distinction.

During the 1992 Olympic Trials in New Orleans, 路易斯安那州, Carter turned in one of the gutsiest performances of the meet, in her signature event, 800米. Not only did she break her own American record, that performance catapulted her from fourth to third place, 并为她赢得了前往巴塞罗那的奥运代表队的一个梦寐以求的席位, 西班牙, where she finished eleventh. 她是第一. 领军人物U.S. 1995年获世界室内锦标赛亚军，1997年获世界室内锦标赛季军. 总而言之, 她在十多个国家队获得了一席之地，并两次被评为美国年度七项全能运动员.

“对我来说，成为一名大学和职业运动员从来不是一种牺牲, it was right where I wanted to be. 在大学里，你的团队是一个内置的支持系统，直到今天都是朋友.”

卡特在路易斯安那州立大学获得广播新闻广播/电视新闻学士学位，并在她大四的时候担任KLSU广播电台的新闻总监. 虽然她毕业后在广播和电视台都获得了令人垂涎的新闻作家和记者的职位, she knew it was not the career for her. “即使在当时，它也过于关注收视率，而对新闻不够重视，”她说. Carter loved the life of a professional athlete, training for five or six hours a day, being mindful of healthy eating and sleep habits. She says of that time, “对我来说，成为一名大学和职业运动员从来不是一种牺牲, it was right where I wanted to be. 在大学里，你的团队是一个内置的支持系统，直到今天都是朋友.”

Born in Inglewood, CA, 卡特曾是一名职业运动员，直到35岁时决定要孩子. Over the years she trained on numerous college campuses, like the University of California, 圣芭芭拉分校, the University of Oregon, 尤金, the University of Texas, Austin and the University of Wisconsin, 麦迪逊. 在来保利之前，她最近从洛杉矶搬回了圣巴巴拉.

卡特深知“体育在年轻人生活中所起的特殊作用.” In middle school, 她对澳门银河官方赌场不感兴趣，而是参加了啦啦队的选拔. 她在场边助威，近距离观看排球和篮球比赛. Mr. 杰克逊, the middle school track coach, 鼓励她尝试田径队，她在尝试很多不同的项目中获得了乐趣. 在高中时, 她继续参加田径和拉拉队，并在学生会中加入了排球和篮球. “I was a good student, 但我小时候一直很害羞，所以运动和俱乐部迫使我走出自己的壳，为我创造了一个参与学校活动的途径.”

作为一名教练，卡特训练了从三年级到大学水平的学生运动员. 她说，教练的作用是“鼓励运动员比他们认为自己能够做到的更努力.” 给 your all during practice is such a satisfying feeling. I’m a positive coach, but I have to be honest, I am tough. Sports aren’t easy, but I challenge in a supportive way. 如果你用训练的方式去竞争，在训练中鞭策自己，你可以期待很好的结果.她补充道, “Not everyone can come in first, but there are so many different ways to win—personal records, getting more technically sound. It is growth that is important.“有时, 这可以是一个教练向学生介绍一项新的运动，并看着那个孩子做一些他们从未认为自己有能力做的事情. 卡特强调，好的教练会指导每一个为球队挺身而出的运动员.

Before coming to Poly, Carter was head coach at Notre Dame Academy, 乔治梅森大学和圣母高中的助理教练. 在她的指导下，她的运动员在各个层面都取得了巨大的成功.

A few coaching highlights: 

• 2019年加州校际联合会(CIF)州锦标赛男子4x 400米接力赛金牌得主.
• 2009年CIF州田径锦标赛女子跳远银牌得主.
• 2009 Second fastest 100m hurdles time in California.
• 1997年全国大学生体育协会室外田径锦标赛，七项全能银牌得主.

即使是作为一名竞技运动员，卡特也试图改善有需要的社区的生活. She came to Poly with extensive nonprofit experience.

Carter is excited to be back in New York City and here in Brooklyn, where one of her best friend’s from elementary school lives. 她喜欢去百老汇看演出，并期待着看到托尼奖的作品 奇怪的循环 and going to the Met. 但, 她同样渴望成为保利艺术的音乐剧和音乐会的观众, in the bleachers at Blue Devil Night, 或者在冬季艺术展上欣赏艺术家的才华. “I will be here cheering everyone on!她说.

In whatever way she can, Carter hopes “to help every Poly student, whether an athlete or not, 在这里茁壮成长.”

更新

In October 2022, NBC New York aired a feature on Kym卡特 for their Positively Black 系列.