After coaching the Powell girls to a state title in cross country in October, coach Ashley Hildebrand was named as the Wyoming Coaches Association 3A Girls’ Cross Country Coach of the Year.

“This is my first coach of the year award as a head coach and it is such an honor to be chosen by my colleagues in the Wyoming Coaches Association,” Hildebrand said. “It is also really special because it is a reflection of the hard work, dedication and heart that our entire team, including coach (Tracy) McArthur and all of the girls, put into preparing for this season over the summer and during the season. This is an award that I share with all of them.”

She said that throughout the season, she and McArthur try to communicate with each other as well as their runners to keep up with their goals. They also check in on how they are feeling mentally and physically — knowing how hard to push them while keeping the runners healthy to achieve their goals.

“We also try to have fun and our parents are a fantastic group who host team dinners all season long,” Hildebrand said. “We always refer to our team as our cross country family and they really do act like a family in how they support one another. I believe that was key to our success.”

She said having the knowledge that your teammates are relying on you is a huge motivator to finishing strong as an individual and as a team, which helped the Panthers finish with the program’s first state title since 2010.

“It was the cherry on top of an awesome season and it provided the girls with validation that their hard work combined with their talent as runners can pay off in a big way,” Hildebrand said. “I also think it provides even more motivation for them to continue to work hard toward meeting their future goals and to trust the process along the way.”

Heading into winter Hildebrand generally takes a step back from coaching, giving the girls workout plans to help get them through December if they are not playing basketball or wrestling. She said after cross country she gives them workouts to help tailor the athletes towards shorter distances in track season while maintaining distance through cross training in running, swimming and biking.

Hildebrand does help out at times with high jump during indoor track, but distance running in the winter is handed off to McArthur before the pair team up again in the spring for the outdoor track season.

“She and I are very much on the same page with regard to our approach to coaching and we work together very well,” Hildebrand said. “I couldn’t ask for a better coaching partner. She brings a lot of experience and knowledge to our program and knows how to motivate kids in a positive way.”

This was the second coach of the year honor for Hildebrand and first as a head coach, after she was named the assistant coach of the year in track and field in 2022.

Now in the offseason, Hildebrand said she spends time visiting family out of state while going skiing over the winter, but also keeps involved with Panther athletics by helping at the home scorer’s table at basketball games.

“I love Panther athletics, so I don’t get away from it completely,” she said.