2026 Blue KC Coaches With Character Honoree Cassie Dolinar
Piper High School Cross Country and Track Coach featured the month of July
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) and the “C” You in the Major Leagues (CYITML) Foundation have announced Piper High School cross country and track coach, Cassie Dolinar, as the Blue KC Coaches with Character honoree for the month of July.
“I knew from an early age that I wanted to coach,” said Dolinar. “I started right out of high school. Over the years I’ve coached just about everything; softball, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, track, cross country, and more. The stars aligned at Piper High School and I had the opportunity to teach and coach distance runners year-round through cross country and track. That’s where I found what I think will be my final home.”
With more than 25 years of coaching experience, Dolinar has worked with hundreds of student-athletes and helped them grow and thrive in all aspects of their lives. She was told at a young age to listen closely to people, and that authenticity matters. Her student-athletes need her to be the best version of herself each and every day. They need her to listen to them and ask questions. She believes that when people feel heard, trust grows. Only then does the real coaching begin.
“Set goals and go after them,” said Dolinar. “There will be bad days. There will be setbacks. There will be times when you feel like you’re not making progress. That’s normal. Keep showing up. Keep doing the work. Most success comes from ordinary people doing the right things consistently over a long period of time.”
During her time at Piper High School, Dolinar has seen incredible support from families and the local community. She says their awareness and interest in students and the high school teams make herself, and all student-athletes, feel valued, loved, and appreciated.
“Over the years, I’m most proud of the culture of our team,” said Dolinar. “The athletes have built something special. They take ownership of their training and their progress, and they celebrate each other’s successes. Our athletes are the kind of people you want to spend time with, and who make those around them better. My team is full of people you would want to be friends with for life.”
Dolinar believes standards provide clarity. It isn’t just about performance, rather it’s about becoming the person you want to be. She challenges her student-athletes to continually give it their all in every aspect of their lives. Her determination to teach young people to be the kind of person who finishes things, does quality work, honors commitments, and gives their best effort is on display each and every day.
“I would describe my coaching style as relational, equipping, and ownership-driven,” said Dolinar. “I want athletes to understand why we’re doing what we’re doing when we’re doing it. My goal isn’t just to coach them for four years – it’s to equip them to be active and run for a lifetime. I want them to know how to train themselves, how to set goals, and how to adjust when life gets hard.”
“Coach Dolinar is different,” said Dolinar’s nominator, Jamie Shaw. “She genuinely cares about these kids as human beings first. The athlete part comes second. Her impact around here (Piper High School) goes way beyond what you see on a stopwatch. It’s been amazing watching her build this program into something special. She’s teaching them responsibility, discipline, and the value of hard work; turning them into mentally tough, resilient young adults.”
“Cassie’s passion and dedication for coaching is worthy of our praise and admiration,” said Jenny Housley, Blue KC President. “Her unwavering commitment to strengthening student-athletes, both on and off the track, has been on display for more than two decades and we’re honored to highlight her career accomplishments as an inspirating and uplifting coach. Congratulations!”
Blue KC Coaches with Character recipients are honored monthly at Kauffman Stadium during Kansas City Royals home games, and fans are encouraged to nominate high school coaches who are making a positive impact on their schools and communities by using the form online at https://www.BlueKC.com/NominateCoachesWithCharacter.
Blue KC supports the Kansas City community through impactful sports partnership programs
Blue KC Coaches With Character program
