A Panther Becomes a Tiger

3A state cross country champion (and multiple state track champion) Sam Berggren has committed to running for Auburn next year. Photo by Alan Versaw.

 

It would be difficult to find a high school athlete from Colorado over the last generation with better range than Sam Berggren. Berggren has won 3A state titles in cross country, at 800 meters, at 400 meters, and at 200 meters. She has run very competitively at 1600 meters and dabbled competitively at 100 meters as well. She holds the 3A all-time and state meet records at 400 meters and has held the 3A all-time and state meet records at 800 meters. The last four years have been, to say the least, a spectacle.

 

In addition to being a top-tier track and cross country talent, Berggren has also been a pretty decent nordic skier as well. And despite the fact that she's run a few indoor meets this season, "a successful finish to my nordic ski racing season" ranks right up at the top of her current list of priorities.

 

It's hard to imagine how anyone fits as much racing into a high school career as Sam Berggren has. For four years, there simply hasn't been much of an off season.

 

Needless to say, numerous Division I programs saw the possibilities in the tall Middle Park senior. The winner of the recruiting derby, however, was Auburn University in Alabama.

 

"After doing a lot of research and thinking, I knew I wanted to be in the SEC --  I'm confident I will grow as a student and an athlete there. After my visit to Auburn, I just knew it was the right fit -- the academics, the strength of the track program, the coaches, the family feel of the team, the town, and the wonderful training environment and climate."

 

Figure that the thrill of beating Alabama--in anything--will shortly be appended to her list of things to like about Auburn.

 

The Auburn coaching staff took the approach of asking Berggren which events she wanted to specialize in. Berggren's answer? The 400 and 800.

 

"When I shared my desire to focus on the 400m and 800m, they fully supported it and were ready to accommodate my training. This kind of support was critical in my final decision. Cross country will be part of my fall training and base building, however I'm expected to compete in only a few meets."

 

Berggren will start her studies at Auburn with a planned major in the biological sciences, hoping to find an area to specialize in after having the experience of a few general classes first.

 

As you might expect, there have been a myriad of highlights for Berggren in her high school career, but one that warranted special mention was "an undefeated cross country season as a senior." Coach Jim "Cajun" Courville has been an integral part of the experience who "has made these experiences unforgettable and has helped me grow in ways too numerous to count." Call it a hunch, but Coach Courville probably has a few positives to relate from the last four years as well.

 

If you are the rare fan of track and field who has thus far missed seeing Berggren compete, you owe it to yourself to make it to a meet or two this spring. Take the neighbors and pay their admission as well. And perhaps the one event you owe it to yourself to watch more than any other is the state 400 meters. If Berggren wins that event this spring, she competes a four-year sweep of that event at the 3A level. Catch the show while you can; it will cost you a trip to the deep South to see it next year.