![Jackie Hardin: 2A Cross Country Coach of the Year]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1704848112/bishopkennyorg/qahzhfaba6shif1jj3ri/JackieHardinDFCoachofYear1square.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1704848112/bishopkennyorg/qahzhfaba6shif1jj3ri/JackieHardinDFCoachofYear1square.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1704848112/bishopkennyorg/qahzhfaba6shif1jj3ri/JackieHardinDFCoachofYear1square.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1704848112/bishopkennyorg/qahzhfaba6shif1jj3ri/JackieHardinDFCoachofYear1square.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1704848112/bishopkennyorg/qahzhfaba6shif1jj3ri/JackieHardinDFCoachofYear1square.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1704848112/bishopkennyorg/qahzhfaba6shif1jj3ri/JackieHardinDFCoachofYear1square.jpg","width":2200}])
Congratulations to Coach Jackie Hardin, Bishop Kenny’s Girls’ Cross Country Coach! She was recognized as the Florida Dairy Farmers 2023 Girls’ Class 2A Cross Country Coach of the Year. This award caps off an outstanding season that ended with the lady Crusaders placing first in their district and region followed by the FHSAA Class 2A State Championship. The girls brought home the first state championship in Cross Country since 2008, the 9th title in program history. Coach Hardin shared, “I am honored to receive this award and I know that I am only one of a very large number of cross country coaches who are deserving of this recognition.”
Coach Hardin started working at Bishop Kenny in 2016 as a guidance counselor in the Office of School Counseling. She has a love for running that dates back to her high school days and she continued to run through college for enjoyment. She enjoys working with students and was eager to get involved with the cross country program at BK. She has been the girls’ head coach for eight years and wanted to acknowledge her assistant, Coach Mike Curran, as being a major part of the team’s success. Coach Hardin noted, “I couldn’t do this without Mike Curran; We have worked together for eight years and he has been instrumental in the success of this program. The expertise that Mike brings to our girls and the training regime is incredible. We wouldn’t have the success this year without his valuable knowledge and love for the program.” The goal now is to get the girls ready for the spring track season so they can bring home more championships.