How a Field Hockey Trick Fueled Kelby Dings' 400-Meter Dash Podium Finish
CHAMBERSBURG - To the ordinary eye, it's open runway and unlimited space. In the mind of Penn Manor's Kelby Dings, she's created an illustration like no other.
The sophomore has an unconventional way of tackling her track and field 400-meter dash. It's a method that demands every last kick and the straightest of eyelines. It bleeds the reserves dry while blending two outlets of happiness.
"Sometimes when I'm running, I'm imagining that I need to get to the ball," said Dings, a standout for the Penn Manor field hockey team in the fall. "It's like I'm chasing after the ball, but I'm just running. I feel like it makes me go faster."
Dings' hypothesis was confirmed at Saturday's Tim Cook Invitational at Chambersburg, as she covered the 400 race in 1:00.03 to strike second place. Dings entered the event as the fourth seed and only trailed Big Spring's Alia Mellott (59.53 seconds).
The multi-sport athlete has built a reputation for her breakaway speed. Flipping on the afterburners helped deliver 38 goals and 15 assists in the fall, and it was the catalyst for Saturday's silver-medal reward.
"Track helps me stay in shape," Dings said, "and I feel like it motivates me to want to be faster in field hockey now."
There's no shortage of motivation and drive in Penn Manor's sparkplug. Her ever-growing competitive schedule is a quintessential example.
Following's Saturday's race, Dings' attention pivoted back to the pitch.
She's set to leave Monday for an international competition with the 2026 United States U-16 Women's National Team's Blue travel roster. That group, which also includes Warwick freshman Addie Martin, is scheduled to play four games in Tonbridge, England, against U-16 national teams from across Europe.
Even with the major travel plans looming, Dings didn't lose sight of the assignment set forth this weekend. She held serve with the lead pack Saturday - hovering around fourth place through 300 meters - before emptying her energy in the final 100.
"I heard the girls coming behind me, so I was just like, 'OK, I need to start moving, start to sprint and just not let them catch me,'" Dings said. "But I'm also trying to catch the person in front of me. It's just a thought process."
Dings caught two runners in the home stretch just as she caught defenses off-guard from August to November. She paced the Comets in scoring in 2025 and produced the golden goal for Penn Manor's first District Three Class 3A field hockey title since 2017.
The postseason brought more headlines, as she was named an All-State selection and a Lancaster-Lebanon League First Team all-star. The Comets' unprecedented run stopped in the PIAA semifinals on a time-expiring ruling.
As spring has come into focus, Dings is seeing similarities in program dynamics. Some teammates have crossed over - Allie Provanzo was a field hockey defender and hurdles in track - but both teams have forged their own identity.
"We support each other," Dings said of the track assembly, "and we always have each other's backs, whether that's just standing on each other's blocks or high-fiving after a tough race. We are just a big family and are always helping each other do our best."
That kind of backing is what keeps Dings involved in track. Field hockey is her forte, but she's not ready to turn off the afterburners.
She wants to qualify for districts and stand on the 400 podium. If her illustration Saturday was any indication, she has an open runway ahead and the landing will include hardware.
"(Saturday) was all I could think about," Dings said. "It was one event, and I kept telling myself, 'I can do it. It's a minute of my life, hopefully under.' But I was just confident. I felt good the whole day, and I just wanted to push myself."
