There could be a day of rejoicing on May 30 at the University of Kentucky.
Or there could be a scene of sadness.
What is certain: it will be the end of an era for a certain family with Bishop Brossart’s boys track and cross country teams.
When senior Ryan Clines completes his last race – most likely one-fourth of the 4×400-meter relay team – at the KHSAA Class A state meet, it will conclude an eight-year run of having at least one member of the Clines family running in the Mustangs’ forest green uniforms.
“I have thought about that, and I will be sad once (Ryan’s) time at Brossart comes to an end,” Mick Clines, a 2021 Brossart alumnus, said. “I feel like, when I graduated and left Brossart, I passed the torch on to him. It’s been awesome seeing him doing great things so far.”
Since 2016, the Alexandria family has been a fixture. Joel Clines, 23, ran for Brossart from 2016-2019, Mick, 21, now a junior at Xavier University, was a Mustang from 2018-2021, and Ryan, 18, maybe better known as a soccer player, has been on the track and field team since 2021.
“Joel set the direction for his two brothers,” their father, 68th District state representative Mike Clines, said. “It was just expected that they would run track since he did.”
Joel Clines set a good example. He was part of a 4×800 relay team that finished sixth in the state in 2016 and third in 2017.
“Obviously, he’s my older brother, so I look up to him for pretty much everything,” Mick Clines said.
Mick Clines’ senior season in 2021 was his strongest. He won the 400 and was part of the state champion 4×200 and 4×400 relay teams. (He was also part of the state-winning 4×800 team his sophomore season.)
Four state championships in track were just the start. He was the soccer and track teams’ Most Valuable Player in 2020-21, a recipient of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s Triple Threat Award, and he was a KHSAA Academic All-State and Student Advisory Board member.
At Xavier, he was part of medal-winning 400 and 1,600 relay teams at the 2023 Big East Conference Outdoor meet and the 2024 Big East Indoor 1,600 relay.
Ryan Clines knows about state championships, too – in his only cross country season last fall, he placed 24th and helped the Mustangs to the Class A title, an 87-92 win over Villa Madonna. What’s more, he has set two outdoor (400 and 1,600) and three indoor personal records (200, 400 and 800) and was part of the Mustangs’ winning 4×800 relay teams in 2022 and ‘23.
The Clines’ credit Brossart coach Chris Davis for developing their sons into champions.
“Coach Davis has such a successful program because of his positive leadership,” Mike wrote in a text message. “He believes in the kids, so the kids believe in themselves. He is well-respected not only by the athletes but also the parents.”
What you might not know: neither Mike (a 1986 Brossart alumnus) nor wife Tammy (Campbell County, 1987), were runners; Mike played baseball and golf (and ran just one cross country race). Mike taught at Covington Catholic, where he later served as a guidance counselor and principal. He eventually became the Diocese of Covington’s Superintendent of Schools from 2009-2020.
Mike didn’t know much about track and field until he became CovCath’s track coach in 1994. (He attended a few meets, went to a few coaches clinics and recruited more knowledgeable assistants.)
“I spent four years coaching and fell in love with the sport,” Mike said. “I liked their grit, I liked their courage, and I liked their dedication and work ethic.”
Soccer was Joel Clines’ favorite sport; unlike Mick and Ryan, he considers himself a soccer player who runs, and he took up track to stay in shape.
“And then, my freshman year, I just blossomed,” he said. “I think I had a little growth spurt at the time … It kind of surprised myself.”
Ryan Clines’ running career started in seventh grade at St. Joseph Catholic School in Cold Spring.
“It kind of felt like that was more my calling,” he said.
Joel Clines lost a bet in 2018 when Mick broke his freshman record in the 800. He didn’t fare well against Ryan during last week’s neighborhood run, either.
“I think I owed (Mick) $15,” Joel said. “I feel like I gave him a push in the right direction, and he took it from there. It was fun for (Ryan), not so fun for me trying to keep up with him.”
Ryan Clines plans to run the 800 and the 4×800 and 4×400 relays. He said he’s excited about the final three races.
“It’s everything I’ve built up for the last four years, all the work,” he said. “It’s going to be nerve-wracking. I think I’ll be sad after the moment, but it’s everything I trained for. I’m going to give it everything I have.”
