Not often does a person appear in front of a camera and also behind it. Not at the same time of course.
Rachael Kriz-Wallace, an Oregon track and field athlete and aspiring photographer, is looked at by others as a unique individual; one who can create a joyful, everlasting moment and at the same time attract others’ focus.
Teammate Sarah Malone described Kriz-Wallace as “outgoing, loud and spunky.”
Her sister, Megan Kriz, said: “She’s squeaky clean. The girl’s just an angel.”
For Kriz-Wallace, the magnetic personality just comes naturally, and knowing what to look for on the track and in the studio comes to her naturally as well.
“She has a very good eye,” Oregon assistant coach Rock Light said. “When I ask her for an opinion about something, she’s not afraid to tell me.
“She understands the high jump very well, and she has good technique herself.”
Kriz-Wallace’s knowledge and form in the high jump translated to a personal record of 5 feet 8 inches and a debut in the NCAA West Regional competition last season.
The fifth-year senior has been on quite a journey since joining the Oregon program in 2000. She moved back and forth between the high jump and the javelin throughout her
career, and competed in both events for
two seasons.
“My career as (a track and field athlete) has been quite amazing,” Kriz-Wallace said. “It’s been interesting; I’ve had four different coaches along the way.”
This season, Kriz-Wallace is dedicated to her strongest event.
“We’ve asked her to focus on the high jump,” Light said. “She loves the javelin, and she’s good at it, but we need her to do the high jump.”
Kriz-Wallace knows where she can contribute the most and what’s best for the team, so she is not entirely heartbroken by her coach’s decision.
“I’m a little disappointed, but at the same time, I’m OK with it,” Kriz-Wallace said.
“Focusing on one event definitely has
its advantages.
“Who knows, maybe for the last meet they might throw me in there and let me have fun with it.”
Coach in training
Kriz-Wallace has an appetite for having fun, but at the same time, getting the job done is a high priority. “She’s assumed a leadership role,” Light said about Kriz-Wallace’s return this season. “My first impression of her was that she is a real go-getter.”
Kriz-Wallace, whose sister and older brother, Adam, both competed for Oregon, is always advising her teammates or cheering them on.
“I think everyone needs to support their teammates the best they can,” she said. “Athletically, I can only do my best, but as far as supporting your team, you can always do more. You can always be out there, you can always be vocal. There are not a lot of people out there that don’t like to be cheered for.
“It’s really important for you to be there when they need you, and I try to put myself out there as much as I can as someone they can come to.”
That mentality exposes Kriz-Wallace’s natural ability to coach, which is something she’d like to do in the near future.
“I plan to keep jumping, and I would love to join the XO team, but I’m more looking forward to
coaching and getting back to the other sports that I used to play,” Kriz-Wallace said.
Kriz-Wallace used to play volleyball and basketball.
“I’m picking up soccer now too,” she said. “We never had it in
Toledo, so my first experience was warming up for track doing soccer — it’s fun slide-tackling people.”
When her tenure at Oregon ends, Kriz-Wallace plans to find a coaching job in the Portland area, where her husband, Andy, is from.
“He needs to go back to the big city,” Kriz-Wallace said. “This
(Eugene) is the big city for me, and so I love it here, but this is like the tiny town for him.”
Kriz-Wallace’s
works in progress
The date was Sept. 12, 2004. Andy Wallace and Rachael Kriz wed at a ceremony in front of family members, friends and teammates.
“It was just a blast,” Kriz-Wallace said. “I’m not one of those people that wants to have a traditional wedding, and it wasn’t. I piggy-backed out of the ceremony.”
Earlier on in life, Kriz-Wallace did not plan on having a husband at age 23. Andy Wallace just seemed to be the right match.
“They’re kind of the same person,” Megan Kriz said. “They’re perfect for each other. I’ve never seen people more perfect for
each other; it’s great. Andy is just a great guy.”
Before Andy Wallace came along, Rachael Kriz-Wallace was more involved in other things.
According to Megan Kriz, her mother always promoted the arts as an alternative to athletics. While Megan chose to confine herself in the sporting world, Rachael branched out by playing the trumpet in middle school, then picking up an appreciation for capturing images.
Kriz-Wallace’s passion for photography ignited in her freshman year of college after she received a 35mm camera in her senior year of high school.
“I have a job now at Picture People at Valley River Center where I do children’s photography, and I absolutely love it,” said Kriz-Wallace, who is majoring in art and eventually wants to own a portrait studio.
For Kriz-Wallace, everything has developed perfectly so far, and the camera just needs another roll of film to start recording the next frames in her life.
“It’s been a wild ride, but it’s been a good one, and I really like where I’ve ended up,” Kriz-Wallace said. “All in all, I’ve had a
blast here; not just the sports but in life in general.”

[email protected]