Dominic Compoz was part of Chaparral's state-winning 4x800 team last spring. Photo by Alan Versaw.
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Dominic Compoz's personal best marks:
800 meters - 1:56.37
1600 meters - 4:17.91
3200 meters - 9:32.14
5K cross country - 15:45
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I'm sure you had options, so tell us a little about why your decision ended up as Western State.
Well, I was looking into a few schools to run at. All of them were very local. I know a couple people on each of the teams--or at least know of them.
It was great to get to talk to all of the coaches. However, on my visit to Western State, I fell in love. Coach Michel was great. She seemed to be a coach whom I feel I can thrive under. The team felt a lot like my own team. We can hangout and play video games, and they are very focused on that one goal to win a national title. It doesn't hurt that the new indoor track is absolutely beautiful. Going through the field house and seeing the All-Americans made me feel like I could help continue on the tradition at Western State. It is also cool to go there because both of my parents ended up going there!
Do you have a planned major yet at Western?
I want to major in Exercise and Sports Science. I would like to be an athletic trainer or physical therapist. I want to stay around athletes and help them with any little kinks they happen to come across. Not to mention, I plan to stay around sports my whole life!
Your season came to a bit of a premature ending this fall. Have you been able to get back to running yet?
I have not been able to get back into running yet. I tried to come back at the regional race, but in that race my foot was in so much pain I ended up dropping out of the race. Though the doctor said that I should be back to running right around Thanksgiving. That will be a total relief. Since then, I have been cross training to maintain and, hopefully, improve my base. I hope that I can stay healthy this upcoming track season!
Chaparral has a bit of a history with 4x800 excellence. Is that a big part of your plans for this coming spring, or will you be more focused on other events?
Well winning the 4x800 was an absolute great feeling. The thing that made it even more special was the fact that I won it with my best friends. Travis, Landon and Devin put everything out there for me and I did the same for them. We all want to repeat, but we know it will be tough. It is a big focus of mine, but I also have my other events I want to do well on. My individual events and the 4x800 are as equal as each other in my mind. Coach Bateman also has huge plans for both me
and our relay team which makes me really excited!
Putting all the track and cross country events together, which one is your favorite, and why?
Well before I picked up the sport, I wanted to be the starting point guard for North Carolina. That dream still lives on. Coach Roy Williams, my phone is waiting for you to call.
However, of all of the events offered in the sports I choose the mile. It is the pinnacle of distance running. I mean look at all of the names of the event. Everyone from Seb Coe to Alan Webb. I mean that makes everyone want to run it. Basically the glamour event of track and field in my opinion. It is my favorite event to run because everyone seems to compete at the highest level in it. It is long enough to have a good race plan, and short enough where it doesn't feel like I'm running forever. But, a close second would be the 4x800. Being on a team that is competitive in that event every year, it is just a blast to be on it!
Pick a favorite moment for us out of your entire high school running experience to date.
If I were to pick a favorite moment it would definitely be the entire state track meet junior year. I ended up being the one of five guys to drop the two mile. And watching that race was tough. But, coming back and winning the state title in the 4x8 made it all worth it. Then the next day, the open 800 was a blast. Devin, Travis, and I went 6-7-8. It was cool to make the podium with my brothers. The shock of the entire weekend was the mile. That has to be up there. When I crossed the line, I knew I had done something special. But, the fact that I was apart of probably the greatest field in the history of the state was special. That entire weekend was the best time in my life!
