On March 22, 2022, Urbana lost not just a great athlete, but a very resilient and kind person. At 22-years-old, Kayley Milor passed but her strength and mindset is still thriving.
Four days after her passing, #MilorMentality started due to Coach Ecalono, our school’s track & field and cross country coach. It was used on social media as a way to promote the Urbana’s annual invitational meet. Senior Hannah Milor (Kayley’s sister) stated, “Milor Mentality caught on from there, and he continues to use it to this day to honor her.”
Though this is a term used often throughout our school (specifically in track & field, cross country, and field hockey), many may wonder, what actually is the Milor mentality?
Hannah said, “It is having mental toughness and working hard to be the best you can be. They say running is a mental sport and my sister ran track and cross country for all twelve seasons during high school.”
Kayley was extremely persistent and her way of thinking was unmatched. Hannah said, “A 98% wasn’t good enough for her. She was set to graduate magna cum laude at UMD and start the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.” Kayley always strived to be the best she could be and was very successful at that.
There was a recent field hockey game that took place on October 2 to honor Kayley. Hannah is a field hockey athlete, so this game meant a lot to her. The purple-out game was “a good reminder that tomorrow isn’t promised and to be grateful for every day” said Hannah.
When asked about what Kayley would’ve said about it, Hannah reminded that she was silly and sarcastic and probably would’ve said “They’re celebrating my awesomeness and they better win.” To make that day even more special, they won 7-0 against Brunswick.
Hannah Milor provides advice to those grieving the loss of a loved one.
“The community uses Milor Mentality as a way of thinking and a work ethic that Kayley showed. My family is grateful for the outpouring of support from the Urbana community.”
Coach Ecalono has been at Urbana for quite some time and was here for all of Kayley’s seasons on the track and field team. He mentioned that Kayley was even the captain of the team in 2018.
Ecalono has said, “It was like having an Assistant Coach by my side every single practice. The girls looked up to her and most definitely listened to her. She was loyal to her teammates and dedicated to their happiness and success. Kayley was the perfect team captain.”
Coach Ecalono makes sure to incorporate Milor Mentality into his coaching and is very passionate about teaching his athletes about who she was. At the beginning of every season, he discusses the meaning of the mindset and what Kayley meant to him. The coaches look out for athletes that remind them of her. “My goal is to instill the Milor mentality in all of my student-athletes!”
He also said, “Milor Mentality stems a lot from those days and those memories. We hand out an award at the Cross Country Banquet. It is the Milor Mentality Award, and it is awarded to a senior who best exemplifies leadership, spirit, and all things UHS.”
“She did everything ALL OUT, she poured her heart and soul into everything she did – sports, academics, relationships, motivation, it didn’t matter.”
Sophomore Makenzie Kilcoyne is a good friend of Hannah’s. She also is a field hockey athlete who scored one of the seven goals at the purple-out game. She said, “It all comes down to a mental game and working with your teammates and that’s when Milor Mentality comes in. You know to trust your teammates and work harder than before.”
Many others like Kilcoyne apply the Milor mentality to every time they play, practice, train etc. Athletes across the board can use this mindset to enhance not just their performance, but others as well.
Kayley may not be directly here, but her and her mindset still live on as brightly as it can. If everyone thinks the way that Kayley Milor did, they would be unbeatable and always bettering themselves.
