Snapp then ran her best time ever (17:58) later that month at the Nike Cross Country Nationals Southeast Regional in Charlotte, N.C.
Snapp, who won the Class A 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at the state track and field meet last year, seemed poised to earn repeats in both those events as well as track season began. But the stress of juggling fall soccer and cross country, as well as select soccer and track in the spring took its toll on Snapp in April.
She had been unbeaten in the 1,600 and 3,200, and had run her best time in the 1,600, before struggling at the Eastern Relays in Louisville, when she didn't run the 1,600 and was sixth in the 3,200. That's when she realized she had more than just a sore foot.
"It had been bothering me for about two weeks before," she said. "I was hoping to get my time down a lot this year and break 5 minutes in the mile and 11 minutes in the two-mile, and I was hoping to improve a lot in cross county (this fall). I base what my cross country season will be like on how I did in track since I started track first."
Even though it was tough to watch, Snapp still went to the state meet to cheer on her fellow Admirals, as well as girls she had run against.
"The good thing is I got to see Diamond (Pace) win two titles, and see Candice (Taylor) win, and we did well. I also know a lot of the runners, so I could cheer them on," she said.
Danville coach Sadie Gambrel said she's sure Snapp would have repeated in those events had she been healthy.
"There is no doubt in my mind she would have won. She had gotten stronger each time she ran," Gambrel said. "I knew there wasn't nothing going to stop her."
It also says a lot about Snapp, Gambrel said, that she came to state even if she couldn't run.
"She was upset. I was upset. But she still came out. And that shows where her heart is at," Gambrel said. "She showed up at state and stayed all night with Diamond to be there and support and root the team on. What other team members can you say would do that?"
Snapp also played soccer for the Admirals, but said she is not going to play high school or select soccer next season.
"I think eventually I wouldn't have played soccer to focus on one sport," Snapp said. "But my injury progressed the decision."
There's no doubt Snapp is blessed with the talent to be one of the state's best runners. But it's not just talent that gets Snapp by.
"I think it's a combination of really great talent and just unbelievable work ethic," Danville cross country coach Ed McKinney said. "She's so determined to do be the best. She's dedicated to it and puts the time in. Sometimes when an athlete is so talented, and everything comes so easily, they might lose interest.
"That's not the case with her. She has phenomenal talent coupled with the mindset to be the best. You don't run into too many kids like her in your career."
Gambrel said Snapp was one of the team leaders even as a freshman.
"Kaitlin always gives 110 percent, her and Diamond (Pace). When you speak of one, you have to speak of them both," Gambrel said. "When they go out to perform, they do their best and take nothing less than that. They have heart and attitude. They not only focus on track, but on their grades. That's the thing I admire most, grades come first."
Snapp still can't run for at least two more weeks, possibly up to four, and still has to take it easy once she's cleared to run. But Gambrel said she was dying to run shortly after her injury.
"She was already talking, 'I think I can run today,' and 'I'm ready to go,'" Gambrel said. "She gave me a card at our banquet saying, 'I'm ready to go.' She's going to lay off soccer to focus on track, and when she does that, nobody's going to be able to touch her.
"She's going to be my little Great Dane."
Snapp said she's determined to be even better this fall when she goes for a fourth straight Class A title. That will make McKinney struggle to find new ways to brag on his star runner.
