High school - The beginning
For as long as I can remember, I have always been an athlete. Anything having to do with sports just seemed to come easy for me. Being a younger brother, I followed in my older brothers footsteps. We played soccer, basketball and football. However, it wasn't until I was 15 years old and my mom convinced me to go out for the Track and Field team, then my life really changed. I'll never forget what I said to her on that day, "Why mom, it's not like I'm going to go to the Olympics or something." I guess parents have a way of seeing things in us that we do not.
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In a few short years I was a 5-time state champion in the state of Pennsylvania, voted athlete of the year for the entire state and was offered a scholarship for Track and Field at Penn State University. In the 4x400 meter relay, after running 8 events in two days, I ran a 46.6 split and passed 8 of the best 400 runners in the state…before coming back to earth and finishing in 4th place. Had I won that 4th gold medal I would have been one of three people in the history of Pennsylvania to win 4 gold medals in one state championship meet. The other two went on to become Olympians.
Penn State - The college years
At Penn State, I worked as hard as I could every day I stepped on the track. My freshman year I was a junior All-American in the 400 hurdles running 53.3 seconds. My early success and drive for wanting to be the best kept me going. In my 4 years at Penn State I never missed a single-track practice or workout. By my senior year I was a Big Ten Champion in the 400 hurdles with a time of 49.97 seconds. I went to nationals where I became an NCAA All-American and qualified for the USA Olympic Trials. At the time I was one of the top ranked hurdlers in the world.
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I'm very proud of the titles I won and the times I ran, but my career at Penn State was so much more than just my own personal achievements. During my time there I had an opportunity to train along side some of the best athletes in the world. My roommate Ryan Olkowski was an Olympic qualifier in both the 200-meter dash (20.56 sec) and the decathlon. He was also a multiple NCAA All-American in college. Brian Derby was one of the top ranked hurdlers in the world and was a multiple NCAA All-American. He ran sub 50 in the 400 hurdles many times, which is an amazing accomplishment. Guy Rose ran 13.56 sec in the 110 hurdles, as a sophomore in college, was an NCAA All-American and one of the top ranked 110 hurdlers in the world at the time. Ben Karz ran one of the fastest times in the 600 meters in college history and was a huge inspiration to me as a volunteer assistant coach during my freshman year at Penn State. I also had the opportunity to train along side Dominique Arnold who held the American record in the 110 hurdles from 2010 to 2012. To this day he has still run the 6th fastest time in history in the event.
My coach Harry Groves is one of the most decorated and known Track and Field coaches in the world. I'll never forget the time he called me into his office my senior year and told me he thought I had a real shot at going to the Olympics after I won big tens. This was a man who had coached track and field for over 53 years. He was an assistant coach to the 1992 Barcelona team. He's coached 11 American record-holders, 21 National champions, 14 Olympians, and 227 All Americans. He is a member of multiple Track and Field Hall of Fames and was an incredible inspiration to me. I remember one day at practice when I asked him what I needed to do to improve my time in the 400 hurdles. "Run faster" he said. That's the kind of coach he was and it really hit home for me. In many ways everything in life is really that simple. What the mind believes the body can achieve.
All of the athletes and coaches I had at Penn State gave me amazing role models to look up to. They taught me to dream and aspire to great things. If you want to accomplish anything in life, surround yourself with people who inspire you and who want the same things. Once you understand that your success is 100% in your hands, it changes everything.
I'm currently coaching track and field at Santa Barbara City College and I couldn't be happier. Although the times and titles are different from my own personal career, the beliefs are the same. Work as hard as you can, be a person of character and be the best version of yourself you can be. You might not be an Olympic gold medalist, or an NCAA-All American, but if you push yourself, don't make excuses and aren't afraid to follow your passion, then you will always be a champion in my eyes.
I hope my story and career inspires you to do whatever it is that you're passionate about. Live a life you're proud of and give back to whoever or whatever got you to where you are.
I hope my story and career inspires you to do whatever it is that you're passionate about. Live a life you're proud of and give back to whoever or whatever got you to where you are.