Feature Story

There are many high school runners across the country, many who have an incredible amount of talent and potential. However, those who choose to continue to use their abilities in college need to be aware of the amount of work and effort they will need to put forward and the difference from high school environment.

However, there are many reasons to look forward to continuing training at a higher level than before. If one isn't prepared for the changes at hand, the transition from high school to college might not go as planned.

There is no doubt that the college atmosphere is completely different than high school. The competition is much more intense, not only from the opposing schools but from your own teammates. David Pachuta, a distance runner at the University of Minnesota, knows how much the competition changes from high school to college. “When it comes to running in college, there’s always the possibility of losing your spot because there’s so much more competition at this level”, says Pachuta. When it comes to high school sports, everyone is encouraged to participate, regardless of skill level. That being said, there isn’t as much pressure put on high school athletes, but the pressure changes as one moves on to college.

High school sports, like previously mentioned, encourage participation. They also provide motivation for academic success if nothing else. However, that isn’t the purpose of collegiate athletics. The fun, encouraging atmosphere is replaced by a desire for a winning team and incredible motivation. It basically comes down to the runner’s mindset. Not only will the atmosphere be different, but coaching will also vary greatly in college sports. Tom Sharp, an Eastview teacher and cross country and track and field coach says, “In high school, there’s more of a social aspect to the sport and the coaches are more compassionate. There shouldn’t be a need to motivate runners in college; they should already have the desire in them.” It’s also important to remember that, depending on the school, the size of the team will be much smaller. No matter what the school size is, they have room for a certain amount of runners. That means the coach will pick the best runners, regardless of how old they are. While the coaching styles are much different, it’s just that difference that promotes a winning team.

There are many changes when it comes to training as well. In many high schools, cross country and outdoor and indoor track are offered, leaving time in between to train. However, most collegiate runners are training nine months out of the year. If not red shirted, this might be a huge change for any new runner. Shannon Braun, the Eagan cross country and track and field coach, as well as former University of Montana distance runner, experienced this change first hand. Braun says, “During the season, we focused on long intervals with more speed, while focusing on long, base-building runs with strength sessions when not competing.” In order to be prepared for a new training program, proper training and knowledge is required.

If the final decision is made to transition from high school running to collegiate running, one must be prepared for a huge difference in training. It all starts with running during the summer prior to freshman year. The first step is to find out what training regiment the team. This is important because it helps the runner learn what’s in store for them. Also, more speed work will be required since it is incorporated more into collegiate-level training. However, there is usually a prerequisite, even if it is a Division III school; running in varsity meets in high school. Sharp has a good idea of this since he has seen many of his runners go on to compete in college. “They have to put the time in, and that means being a consistent varsity runner.”

If a high school runner is aware of all the differences and accepts them, they need to ask themselves one question: how much do I love running? If the love of the sport is not there, it might not be a good choice to continue. There is certainly much to look forward to for the next stage in competition. Ian Sharp, an Eastview runner, says “I’m looking forward to better competition and running for a championship team.” There are other advantages as well.

For a high school runner unsure about their future, knowing what’s to come will help make a decision.