Before her junior year in high school Kaelyn Ronnau moved from Wyoming to Germany where she continued to excel at athletics such as wrestling, track and cross country. (provided by Kaelyn Ronnau)
Growing up as a military kid, adapting to new places, schools and sports teams was my normal. After my dad retired from the U.S. Air Force, my family moved to Wyoming where I spent 5th grade up until my sophomore year of high school. Being raised in a family where sports were encouraged but academics always came first, I learned early on to make school my top priority, no matter what level I was competing at.
At my high school, I was a part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, which challenged me academically while I was also committed to athletics. Balancing IB coursework with practices, competitions and other extracurriculars wasn’t easy, but it taught me how to manage my time and stay disciplined. I had to learn how to be a student first and an athlete second, making sure that my performance in the classroom always matched the effort I put into sports.
During this time, I was able to compete at a high level, becoming a 4th place finisher and runner-up in the Wyoming State Wrestling Championship, as well as having high finishes in both the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles at the Wyoming Track and Field Championship. These achievements reflected the hard work and dedication I put into my sports, while still maintaining my focus on academics.
Kaelyn Ronnau (left) with her running team while still living stateside in Wyoming where college atheletic recruitment was more straightforward. (provide by Kaelynn Ronnau)
Kaelyn Ronnau (in black) wrestled for her school in Wyoming, and was happy to be able to continue the sport when she moved to a DoDEA school in Germany. (provided by Kaelyn Ronnau)
Growing up, I watched my siblings go through the college athletic recruiting process during their junior and senior years of high school. I saw the attention that they received from coaches, and the opportunities that came from being in the United States during this time. I also learned how important grades were in that process, not just performance in sports. Academic eligibility, GPA, and how seriously you took school played a major role in what opportunities you could be considered for. That made it clear to me that being a strong student was just as important as being a strong athlete.
I assumed I would have a similar experience of college athletic recruitment. However, moving to Germany right before my junior year changed that path for me.
I went from being in an environment where I had exposure and a clear system for recruitment to one where I had to figure everything out mostly on my own. Especially in a DoDEA school where there isn’t the same level of visibility. Even though there are still ways to be seen and recruited in DoDEA schools, it doesn’t come with the same ease or built-in exposure as it does for athletes in the United States, no matter the level you are trying to compete at.
I realized quickly that if I wanted to be recruited, I would have to take the initiative myself.
Even though I did have some coaches reach out to me for wrestling and track and field, the timing of my move made the process more difficult. It forced me to really think about what I wanted for my future.
Kaiserslautern’s Kaelyn Ronnau prepares to throw Ramstein’s Leona Smith to the mat during the 152-pound final at the 2026 DODEA European wrestling championships on Feb. 7, 2026, at Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)
Kaelyn Ronnau clears a hurdle during a track meet while running for Kaiserslautern High School, Germany. (provided by Kaelyn Ronnau)
Kaiserslautern senior Kaelyn Ronnau, center left, hands off the baton to teammate Trinity Seaberry during the 4x100-meter relay at the Wiesbaden Invitational on April 11, 2026, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
In the end, I chose to prioritize my academics and long-term goal over continuing in athletics in college. That decision wasn’t easy, but it reflected the values I was raised with and the importance my family placed on education.
Looking back, my experience moving from Wyoming to Germany has shaped me in many ways. It taught me how to adapt, stay focused, and take responsibility for my future. Most importantly, it showed me that success isn’t always a straight path, and sometimes setbacks can help you focus on what truly matters.
