Tricia Beaham, the longtime cross country coach at Shawnee Mission East, is retiring, capping off a pathbreaking career leading the running programs at her alma mater.
The upshot: Beaham’s announcement comes just days after she led the SM East boys team to its first Kansas state title in 55 years.
- Earlier this month, the boys team brought home their first state title in more than half a century winning in Class 6A, and senior Wyatt Haughton won the individual championship.
The bigger deal: Beaham will retire with a bit of history on her resume: she was first high school female cross country coach ever in the state of Kansas when she took the helm of the East program 26 years ago.
Beaham’s journey: Back in 1982, Beaham joined the Lancer cross country team as a student.
- She won the individual state championship in 1984, and went on to run in college.
- Beaham returned to Prairie Village in 1997 and became SM East’s head coach a year later.
- She said she intended to give back to the running community for just one year — but that one year turned into more than a quarter century.
Lancer cross country: Beaham said she stuck with the coaching position because she noticed early on that watching a dedicated student accomplish their goals and winning a state championship were equally rewarding.
- “Every year, it isn’t necessarily that you get an exceptional team, but you get exceptional human beings that come out and you just love being around them,” Beaham said.
- She said she hopes to leave behind a legacy of perseverance and tradition.
What’s next for Beaham and SM East
Though the cross country coach job has not yet been posted online, according to Beaham, she says she has encouraged current assistant coach Mallory Dittemore to apply to be head coach.
- As the first female coach in the state, Beaham said it is important to her that another female coach take over the reins for her.
- Additionally, Beaham hopes she’s left the foundation of the team in a good space just as the coaches before her did.
- As for her retirement, Beaham said she plans to travel and spend time enjoying her first grandchild who is due to be born this coming spring.
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