Boulder Running Company/Colorado Track XC Athletes of the Week
Jake Schneeberger - Fossil Ridge
Ana Holland - Regis Jesuit
Special to Colorado Track XC by Dan Betz
Week 5
Around the country, certain track meets resound in their geographic region as the marquee events to attend: Kansas, Drake, Mt. SAC, and Penn, just to name a few.
In Colorado that weekend occurs approximately half way into the season. The event, of course, is the Mullen Runners Roost Invitational. This meet brings together some of the best talent in the state, regardless of classification, in head-to-head competition.
Of course, not all the teams in the state go to the Mullen Runners Roost Invitational. In fact, there are several high-quality meets on the same weekend. This week’s Boulder Running Company/Colorado Track and XC athletes of the week made their marks at the largest meet in the state and the emerging cross-town alternative.
Our girls' winner for this week is sophomore Ana Holland of Regis Jesuit, and the boys' winner is senior Jake Schneeberger of Fossil Ridge.
Ana Holland made her mark at her home meet, the Rod Card/Regis Jesuit Invitational, by winning the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 4x200m relay. Ana’s times in the individual sprints, 12.31 (+0.0), 24.20 (+0.7), and 56.80 placed her among the best performers from all of Saturday’s meets. While many athletes were specializing in one or two races last week, Ana was practicing the strategy of more is better.
Ana’s best event of the day was also her favorite, “The 200 meter dash is my favorite event because it is the one that I am strongest at and I really enjoy competing in it. For me, it's the perfect distance, not too short but not too long.” Her time of 24.20 currently ranks Ana first in the state and eleventh in the nation according to the Milesplit.com performance database.
Ana’s amazing athletic ability is also coupled with a great deal of humility. Her goals for the season reflect this modesty. “My short-term goal is to be as successful as I can possibly be in all the events that I compete in. My long term goal is to work my conditioning and timing to continue to improve each time I am on the track.”
While Ana was scorching the Regis track, Jake Schneeberger was outpacing the competition at Jeffco Stadium in the shot put and discus. Jake’s marks of 54-2 and 176-0 were enough to give him plenty of separation from the other throwers at the Mullen Runners Roost Invitational.
Jake competes for Fossil Ridge High School which is the newest large school in Fort Collins. Although the school is only seven years old Fossil Ridge is really beginning to make its presence felt in Colorado track and field.
Jake believes that being part of a new school has helped him to perform better, “I love that we are the new school because I am helping build a legacy that will last.”
Jake’s performances at the Mullen Runner’s Roost clearly help to establish his own legacy. The marks rank him first in 5A in the shot put and third in 5A in the discus. So far, Jake is undefeated in both events and has a long-term goal of remaining that way all season, “I have had a perfect 10 for 10 so far this year.”
Schneeberger’s training has focused on intensive weight training and the use of oversize implements in practice. Jake also uses the same routine to warm up at every meet and brings a very competitive spirit to all his competitions. “I love competition and I believe that I have a better performance when there is competition.”
Having reached the approximate midpoint in the season, Ana Holland and Jake Schneeberger have set themselves up well for a very successful state meet.
Kansas, California, Iowa, and Pennsylvania can keep their mega relays and invitationals. We’re doing just fine here in Colorado.