By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Growing up on a farm in Ellinwood, Barton Community College was always a choice for Lacy (Frees) Draznik after high school. Her passion for dance took her initially to Oklahoma State University, but after a change in OSU’s dance program, Lacy was recruited back to Barton County.
With a continued successful career in dance following her 2002-2003 year at the college, Draznik was inducted into the Barton Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday.
"It's an honor that dance is being recognized," said Draznik. "It's an honor that the dance community is being recognized because they do so much for dance and cheer here. I still have a hard time telling people I'm a Hall of Famer, but I'll take it."
Draznik became the first dance or cheer member to be inducted into the Barton Sports Hall of Fame.
Following her degree at Wichita State University, Draznik began her professional dance career in Tulsa, Oklahoma and also San Francisco, California. She then moved back to Kansas to own dance studios just south of Kansas City, establishing the Miami County Dance Movement in 2011.
Competing with the Argonne Rebel Dance team at a young age, Draznik said the biggest appeal to dancing was being on the stage.
"It's the trill," said Draznik. "I'm sure lots of athletes can say that when they're performing. It's about the adrenaline and pushing yourself. With dance, you can express yourself, you can create, it's artistic and it's also athletic."
Along with Draznik, Tim Weiser (baseball) and Natchapol Srinoon (golf) were inducted into the 2025 Hall of Fame class.
Listen below to the full interview with Draznik (2/15/25).