When Kaity Purcell first learned about Girls on the Run, she wasn’t a coach — she was a babysitter watching two girls who couldn’t stop talking about their team.
“I remember thinking, ‘What an amazing program — I want to be a part of this.’”
So, when spring 2025 rolled around, Kaity signed up to coach her very first season in Summit — and she hasn’t looked back since.
From the very first practice, Kaity says she was swept up in the energy, laughter, and joy of her team. “I looked forward to every session,” she says. “It wasn’t just about running — it was about confidence, connection, and growth. I felt so lucky to witness it all up close.”
But her first season didn’t go quite as planned. Just before practices began, Kaity broke her ankle. She spent nearly the entire season on crutches and in a walking boot, coaching from the sidelines. Still, she showed up every day.
“It definitely wasn’t how I envisioned my first season going, but the girls didn’t let that slow us down,” Kaity says with a laugh. “In fact, they inspired me just as much as I hoped to inspire them. They reminded me every day that strength comes in many forms.”
By the time the big 5K celebration arrived, Kaity was finally healed — and ready to run. Despite spending the season on the injured list, she crossed the finish line alongside her team.
“It was the perfect full-circle moment,” she says. “I went from unsure if I could even participate to finishing stronger than before, surrounded by the girls who motivated me every step of the way.”
Now in her second season of coaching, Kaity brings that same determination and perspective to her team. As the Assistant Manager of a Pilates studio, a NASM-certified personal trainer, and a health coach, she’s passionate about helping people build a positive relationship with movement — something she hopes to instill early in the girls she coaches.
“I think it’s so important to see movement as something empowering rather than something to be critical about,” she says. “As someone who found that later in life, I wanted to help the next generation discover it early on.”
As for what she hopes for the next 25 years of Girls on the Run NJ East?
“I hope the program continues to expand and reach even more girls — especially in communities that don’t yet have access to something like this,” Kaity says. “If these girls keep carrying forward what they’re learning — self-confidence, kindness, perseverance — the ripple effect will be incredible.”
From babysitter to coach to community role model, Kaity Purcell is living proof that when you lead with positivity, you move more than mountains — you inspire mountain movers!