Sophomore forward Kaylyn Pratt spent her entire high school career dividing her time between soccer and track and field.

That busy lifestyle didn’t stop when she arrived at Western last year.

Pratt, who is at Western on a soccer scholarship, has continued the juggling act by competing in the high jump for the track and field team in the spring.

But Assistant Coach Chris Tinius said Pratt’s level of involvement with both collegiate sports and class never seems to overwhelm her.

“I don’t know if it’s because she did a good job with time management or what it was, but she never really seemed stressed out about anything,” he said. “To be honest, she’s been doing that her whole life. I think it’s just something she’s used to.”

Pratt said she didn’t plan to compete for the track and field team in college, but once she got to Western, she realized that she wanted to continue her track career.

“Coach (Erik) Jenkins saw me one day and told me the door is always open for me to join the team,” she said. “I was just sitting around one day and realized that I missed doing track, and I e-mailed him and asked him about joining the team.”

Jenkins, head coach of the track and field team, said he and the other track and field coaches are very flexible in working with two-sport athletes, including junior Derrius Brooks, a football wide receiver, and senior Jeremy Evans, a men’s basketball forward, who are also members of the track and field team.

Pratt said she practices with the track and field team once or twice a week and competes when her soccer and class schedules allow for it.

Jenkins said Pratt’s high school track coach contacted him and said she would be playing soccer at Western but might also be a valuable addition to the track and field team.

Jenkins said he first heard about Pratt when she was in high school.

He said he was glad when the soccer team signed Pratt because he knew she was someone who could help the track and field team eventually.

“We’ve had the pleasure of working with several two-sport athletes the past few years, so we’re familiar with those types of athletes, and we try to give them the opportunity to be successful in both sports,” Jenkins said.

Both Tinius and Head Coach Jason Neidell said Pratt’s athleticism and her accomplishments in two sports in high school were big reasons for her recruitment.

“That was her main selling point,” Tinius said. “Her speed is her main asset on the field, and that lends itself well to track and field.”

Tinius said the soccer coaches aren’t too fearful of Pratt injuring herself while competing in a track and field event.

The track and field and soccer seasons don’t overlap, so Tinius said coaches aren’t too concerned with the possibility of a track injury.

“If something were to happen, she wouldn’t miss a lot of time with us,” Tinius said. “But we watch out for injuries, and I know the track coaches watch out for that too because they want everybody performing at their maximum level.”