Some of Minnesota’s most inspiring and influential athletes, coaches and leaders in sport will be recognized at an award ceremony Wed., Feb. 6 at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. 

 

One of those inspiring individuals is Becker’s own Trish Reimer-Kealy, who will be honored at the same time as her sister, Jane Reimer-Morgan with Breaking Barriers awards.

 

The award ceremony will be conducted in conjunction with the 33rd-annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day, a nation-wide celebration recognizing the accomplishments of individuals in the promotion and advancement of girls’ and women’s sports.

 

The 2019 ceremony will honor 22 individuals, groups or programs that will receive awards in six separate categories. Award recipients are nominated by schools, community organizations, recreation centers, and amateur and professional sports organizations.

 

A standout athlete in high school and college, Trish Reimer-Kealy is now using that experience to help girls and women continue to break barriers. 

 

She was a standout volleyball, basketball and track & field athlete in high school, and was the first female Senior Athlete of the Year award winner at Pillager High School. 

 

She was a standout track athlete at Bemidji State and started her coaching career in 1981. After coaching track and field, volleyball and basketball throughout the 1980s, Reimer Kealy moved to Becker in 2005 and has served as the school’s head track and field and cross country coach ever since. 

 

She was named the Minnesota State Girls’ Class AA cross country coach of the year in 2008 and was named a Bemidji Top 60 Athlete at the 30th Anniversary of Bemidji State Women’s Athletics.