When you think of local track and field runners, Katy Schilly-Laetsch is literally ahead of the field. She was a pioneer in lady running as she was the first girl on a boys’ cross country team during her years at Central Square. From 1971-74 she starred at Central Square as a member of cross country, track and field teams. She continued running at Syracuse University and then Iowa State University during her college years. At Iowa State she was a three time All-American. She also competed for the Syracuse Chargers in the late 1970s. Katy was a member of the USA Indoor Track Team that competed against the Russians in 1983 and she won the 10K in Dublin, Ireland, which served as a qualifier for the US Olympic Team in 1984. 

 

At the 1984 California International Marathon, she set a course record of 2:32:40. She also won the 1984 San Francisco Marathon. The following year she was again an Olympic Games qualifier and was ranked number five among the Americans in the marathon as she earned a spot on the USA Marathon Team. Katy and her husband currently live in Palos Verdes, CA with sons Alex, Joe and Ben.