Sallisaw senior Kayli Macon again makes a podium trip at state track meet

Sallisaw’s Kayli Macon got to stand on the podium twice due to her being able to place in the Oklahoma Class 4A state track meet. She placed fifth in the long jump event (with a personal best of 17 feet, 3 inches) and seventh in the 200-meter dash at the state meet, held in May at Plainview in southern Oklahoma.

“I was highly satisfied with my performance this year,” said Macon, a recent graduate. “Not only did I place and (set a personal record in the long jump), I also got past prelims in the open 200, allowing me to run in the finals.”

As a sophomore, Macon placed seventh in the 400-meter relay and eighth in the 800-meter relay. Last season, her 800 relay team played fifth, so Macon has had experience making her way up the podium.

But this season was extra special. Macon was still recovering from a devastating knee injury she suffered as a freshman while playing basketball, and re-aggravated it two years later.

“My freshman year, I tore my ACL lateral and medial meniscus on a baseline drive,” Macon said. “The recovery process was very long but bearable because I had two physical therapists that made me look forward to physical therapy three times a week. I wasn’t able to compete in basketball my freshman year due to this injury. In my junior year, I had re-torn both my meniscus, causing me to be out only for the summer. The recovery process for my meniscus was pretty easy; nothing like the ACL.”

Macon was able to make it back on the court for her final two seasons. She was named the Lady Diamonds’ MVP both seasons and made first team NOAA Conference and the Oklahoma Coaches Association’s All-Star team. Her senior year, she helped Sallisaw to a district championship for the first time since 2017 as the Lady Diamonds eventually reached the area round of the state playoffs.

She did this despite not being tied to a particular position, remarking the ability to play anywhere on the court. That versatility also applied over to the track.

“This year in track, I started out in the 400 relay, 800 relay, long jump and the mile relay, but halfway through the season, Coach (Richie) Pratt took me out of the mile relay and had me in the 200-meter dash,” Macon said.

But Macon really wanted to make her mark in the long jump, calling it “my best event” this year.

“The past two years, I didn’t long jump because of my knee problems and I didn’t want to cause more, but since it was my senior year i had nothing to lose,” she said. “I chose long jump because I knew it was my best option at placing at state.

And given a choice between the two sports, Macon really prefers track. Plus, the memory of her injury as a freshman really spurred Macon to come back by the time she finished her senior year at Sallisaw.

“My inspiration was that I never got to experience high school sports,” she said. “I was determined to experience high school sports.”

However, Macon doesn’t plan on competing in sports at the collegiate level. She is going to attend Carl Albert State College in Poteau and pursue a degree in nursing. Macon also had a grade point average of nearly 4.0. But there’s something else that has occupied Macon’s time. She runs her own baking business, with her specialties being oatmeal cream pies and cookie cakes.

“I have also enjoyed baking and one day I was like, I think my parents would enjoy homemade oatmeal cream pies, so i made them and they were a hit,” Macon said. “I sent some with my mom to her work and everyone loved them. I honestly don’t really know how my business escalated so quickly, but it did. I started in August 2024.”

She even has started a Facebook page for her cooking delights, entitled Kayli’s Kreation’s.

“I plan to attend nursing school and keep my baking business going,” Macon said.

But Macon is just glad to be able to experience going up on the podium one final time in track.

“Being able to stand on the podium twice at state, once you get up there, you feel like all of your hard work paid off,” Macon said.