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Contact Us
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Read Exclusive Recaps of the 2012-13
Prairie Fire Seasons
No matter the season, there was always something exciting happening in Prairie Fire athletics.The fall season featured more than a dozen new school records, improved individual and team play, and several all-conference performers. Winter saw a second year of “fireball” and an individual conference champion. And the year just wrapped this spring with a Midwest Conference Tournament appearance in baseball, two individual conference champions in track -- a first since 1995 -- and an all-league performer on the links.
Read more about individual and team performances:
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Coach's Corner
Jason Haynes
Track and Field Coach
 Jason Haynes recently completed his second season as the head coach of the Knox track and field teams and fourth season as a coach at Knox. He also served as an assistant cross country coach in the fall.
Describe your coaching philosophy.
Every athlete is important to our team and has the potential to contribute something positive. Whether it is raw athletic talent or the ability to motivate teammates, everyone can bring something to the table. Track and field is an individual sport, but every individual contributes to the team. As such, we try to promote a family atmosphere where the individual is willing to push himself or herself further for the benefit of the team.
Define a successful season.
You can define a successful track season in a lot of different ways. For example, our teams this year broke ten school records, added their names to Knox's all-time top ten lists 123 times, and earned six All-MWC honors -- including two individual event champions (the first multiple event champs since the 1995 season). I would call that a heck of a season. Until we get to the point where we are consistently expecting to finish well as a team, we'll continue to gauge our success based on personal mental growth and physical progress. As long as every member of the team goes out to compete and do his or her best, and sees consistent improvement, I will call it a success.
Where do you see the program in five years?
Our biggest goal right now is increasing the size of our teams. I see our men's and women's programs reaching rosters of at least 30 athletes each. In terms of success at the conference level, I see no reason why both teams can't be in the top half of the conference.
What will it take to get there?
Actively recruiting talented athletes who are also talented students. One of our team's biggest shortcomings recently has been the lack of depth at almost all positions. Once we have the numbers to fill out each event, the team will automatically become better because we won't have to ask individuals to wear multiple hats.
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Student-Athlete Spotlight
 James Fenner '14 is a two-time All-Midwest Conference performer for the Prairie Fire men's golf team. Fenner earned a medal by placing eighth at the 2013 Midwest Conference Championship. He won his first medal and was named all-conference after a sixth place finish at the 2012 conference meet. An economics major, Fenner had the second-lowest round (70) in the Midwest Conference during his sophomore year.
What's been your favorite class? Environmental Natural Resource Economics. The class combined two interests of mine (economics and environmental issues) and forced me to think about solutions to problems from outside of my normal paradigm.
Have you been involved in any research or study abroad opportunities while at Knox? I did an independent study in south Texas looking at the value of birds in the region and how that affects the local economy. I also took Alaska: Forests, Fisheries, and the Policies of the Wilderness, a class offered through Knox last spring, which allowed me to travel to southeast Alaska last summer. I was able to receive a short internship assisting with research on St. Lazaria Island. I helped track the feeding habits of the Rhinoceros Auklet, as well as helped take measurements of Storm-Petrel chicks.
Do you have a pre-game ritual or superstition? I have several pre-game rituals that I have to follow. One is that at the beginning of each round I must have five tees in my left pocket. Every time I wash my clubs before a round, I must start with my 56° wedge and work up to my driver. The last club to be washed and put in the bag is the putter, always. Finally, my biggest superstition is that anytime I play golf I must have my ball marker and divot repair tool from Firestone Country Club in my right pocket. My dad gave them both to me when I started playing golf and I have used them for every round I've ever played.
What do you enjoy most about golf? I love the feeling of a well struck shot or hearing the sound of the ball rattling around in the cup. I love the friendships formed through hours spent on the course, as well as the peacefulness that five hours on the course on an early spring morning brings. I could easily go on, but simply put, I love everything about golf except three-putts.
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Athletic News
Two Good Reasons to Come Back to Knox:
K-Club Golf Outing and Football Reunion
 The K-Club Golf Outing has been paired with the Prairie Fire football reunion, set for June 20 and 21. There will be an individual golf outing, followed by an opportunity to socialize at Cherry Street Restaurant and Bar, on Thursday. The golf outing on Friday will include a putting contest with Coach Harley Knosher. The event will conclude with the football reunion that evening. A major highlight of the event will be a chance to chat with the new Head Football Coach Damon Tomeo, who’ll share his plans and vision for the future of Knox Football. There's still time to register for the event.
Historic Season for Prairie Fire Baseball
 The Prairie Fire baseball team finished a historic season at 22-13 and 13-3 in the conference, winning the South Division title and setting eight team records. The Prairie Fire finished third in the Midwest Conference Championship tournament. Read more about the tournament and records broken this season.
Men's Soccer Team Runs Preschool Clinic at YMCA
 The Prairie Fire men's soccer team volunteered at the Knox County YMCA, running a preschool soccer clinic for three- to five-year-olds. The clinic focused on introducing the children to group activities and sports -- including the game of soccer. "I was thoroughly impressed with the amount of knowledge and patience that the facilitators had with the group of preschoolers," said Justin Inskeep, associate executive director of the Knox County YMCA. "At the YMCA, we pride ourselves in teaching the four core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility in all that we do. The Knox soccer team exemplified those core values and made a huge impact on everyone involved in the clinic." Read more about the clinic.
Athletes Recognized for Achievement
 The Knox athletic department recognized more than a dozen student-athletes for outstanding achievement over the past year.
The College's Lincoln Room was the site of a banquet on May 22 to honor the 2012-2013 athletic award recipients. Members of the athletics staff handed out 17 awards, while 43 seniors also received a K-Blanket for earning at least one letter every year for four years.
President Teresa Amott and athletic director Chad Eisele '93 spoke during the banquet and thanked the athletes for their hard work and dedication to Knox athletics. Read more about the students recognized at the awards ceremony.
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