Meet Hannah Crosfield! This courageous and caring GOTR alumni serves as a rural firefighter in her community and has coached more than 10 seasons of our program. Learn more about her GOTR alumni journey below!
The field of firefighting requires exceptional trust and teamwork. Hour to hour, minute to minute, new challenges unexpectedly arise. Firefighters must know how to maximize one another’s strengths to overcome obstacles, even and especially when it demands great courage. Girls on the Run was where Hannah Crosfield, GOTR alumni, coach of 10 seasons, and rural firefighter, first learned such vital life skills. It’s also where she discovered her passion for giving back to her community. Thanks to her experience with GOTR, Hannah gained the confidence to pursue her dreams—including becoming a firefighter. Hannah’s drive to take on a career in a typically male-dominated field proves that when you embrace your Star Power, you can fulfill your purpose.
Hannah, passionate about supporting and protecting her community, is all smiles here—her courage, strength, and determination shine as she fulfills the duties of her job as a firefighter.
Fueling her dream to be a firefighter was not the only spark Girls on the Run ignited.
When Hannah turned 18, she registered to become a coach and give back what the program once gave her: a supportive space to grow, connect, and be herself. Hannah emphasized her previous coaches’ significant impact on her life: “When I remember my time as a GOTR participant, my favorite part wasn’t just the running or the end-of-season 5K. It was the coaches. They were always there, ready to teach, uplift, and move alongside me during workouts. I looked up to them and knew, even as a young girl, that I wanted to be just like them when I grew up.”
Hannah’s first GOTR team coming together for a group photo after the 5K Celebration. (Hannah is proudly wearing number 433!)
As of fall 2024, Hannah has coached her 10th Girls on the Run season.
With every activity, game, and group discussion, Hannah strives to foster connections with the participants and be a good listener. She recognized how meaningful an open ear was when she was a participant and is intentional about paying that kindness forward to her team. She shared a fun example of one of her team’s many colorful conversations: “One season, a girl on my team asked, ‘What if everything was made of candy?’ That question became a multi-practice debate that led to ongoing conversations filled with laughter, creative thinking, and relationship building. These small but mighty moments remind me why I coach: to create a space where kids feel heard, no matter how big or small their thoughts may seem.”
Posing with a firefighting canine, Hannah shows not only compassion for her furry partner but for the community she serves.
As Hannah works toward completing her college degree and continues safeguarding her community from fires, she encourages those around her to follow their paths with their heads held high.
This GOTR alumni believes in the power of storytelling, as it can unlock goals or ideas girls may not have otherwise explored. She told us, “It’s important to share GOTR alumni stories and show current GOTR girls all the things they can accomplish and the careers they can achieve when they grow up. It’s also a full-circle moment to know that one day, a girl I coached will go on to do amazing things and perhaps share her own GOTR story with the world.”
Hannah hanging out in the community she loves in Portland, Oregon.
So, just like Hannah said, embrace your story and keep going, even throughout life’s challenging chapters.
Hannah’s story of becoming a firefighter is evidence that limitless possibilities await when you show up as your authentic self. It’s also a prime example of the remarkable ripple effect GOTR coaches have on their communities. The kindness of Hannah’s coaches years ago inspired her to follow in their footsteps. And now she embodies their values whether she’s at the fire station, practice field, or anywhere in between.
