BY STEVE HASSEY

“I thought that all the coaches expected me to be great because my parents held records and were in the hall of fame. I thought that I would let everyone down by not living up to these expectations. So their legacy almost turned me away from track altogether.”

This is a quote from Mackenzie Schmizze, who would go on to win the Cincinnati Hills League, the Big East Conference championship, and place at nationals as a pole vaulter after almost quitting track her freshman year of high school.

Schmizze’s maiden name is Fields, making her a part of a decorated family whose history of athletic success in the Mariemont school district dates back to the 1970s.  Schmizze’s mother, Missy Castetter Fields, has her name on the short list of Mariemont’s individual state champions.  Her father, Ken Fields, is recognized in Mariemont’s athletic hall of fame.

Today, Schmizze is training to become a part of the United States’ Olympic team that will make the trip to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics, and her family is helping her along the way.

“Whenever Mackenzie wants to eat anything bad for her, someone in my family gives her a glare and says, ‘America’ as a nickname to remind her of her Olympic goals,” said her younger brother and current Mariemont senior, Garrett Fields.

But Schmizze is not just relying on the help of her nuclear family as she sets her eyes on 2016.  She is also working with her former track coach at University of Cincinnati, Kris Mack, twice a week, and lifts with her husband, Ben Schmizze, twice a week.

As she looks forward to Olympic trials, Schmizze is focusing on raising her height to meet the qualifications of the 2012 team.

“There are two standards: A and B. The B get’s you on the list, so that if not enough people hit the A mark, you get to go, and the A is automatic.  Even if 25 people get that height, they all get to go, so they set it very high. Last year, the B mark was 4.25 meters and the A mark was 4.45. I was right in between. My best last year was 4.35 meters. They only took A marks last year  At the Olympic Trials, the top 3 finishers make the Olympic team.”

Although the road ahead will not be easy, Garrett believes in his sister.

“I think her chances are pretty good because she was first in the Big East Conference last year and she is still training and getting better and she’s set a lot of stadium records.”