 Four years of running and training in the
challenging mid-distance events finally paid
off for Calvin senior Alex Wrobel: a trip to the
NCAA III Championships was his ultimate goal.
“My past success in track has been a blessing, but
it has also been difficult,” he said. “Even though I have
had good conference success, I have missed making
the national meet three times, either in the 800 meters
or the mile, by less than a second. It has taught me to
remain humble as I was forced to remember that hard
things take time to do. I have also learned how to take
pleasure in other teammates’ performances, especially
at the national level.”
But this year it was Wrobel, of Arden Hill, Minn.,
making the trip to Delaware, Ohio, and earning an
11th-place finish in the 1,500 meters.
While that experience puts an exclamation point
at the end of his track and field career, there were
other highlights along the way.
“The MIAA championships is a great event because
it is all about the team competing as one, not worried
about times,” he said. “Rather we are focused on a
collective effort of beating the other team lined up
next to us. It is a great chance for the sprinters, jumpers,
throwers, mid-distance and distance to compete all
with the same goal of winning—and it really brings
a team together when that happens. To have won all
four years is an incredible feat and is something that
I will always remember.”
Wrobel aided that team effort: he won the MIAA title
in the 800 meters as a freshman, as well as winning MIAA
titles in the 1,500 meters his sophomore and junior year.“Running with the middle distance runners has
been so much fun,” he said. “Middle distance is a bunch
of laidback guys—outside of workouts and races—that
knows how to have fun and yet can turn it on when
it counts.”
Teamwork has brought much success to the program
but as Wrobel is quick to point out, the coaching
staff helps the middle-distance core just as much as the
runners do. “(Middle distance) Coach Rick Otte is an
amazing guy; he ties together the diverse, rag-tag group of
middle distance runners with his laid back yet competitive
personality, love of basketball and brilliant workouts.
He also infuses us with lots of energy and always knows
exactly what to say before a race to get us going.”
The track experience for Wrobel has been duplicated
on the cross country team “Cross country has been a
great team experience with a bunch of really cool guys,” he said. “Being a part of the Calvin cross country team
has been a blessing because of the team atmosphere that
is so prevalent. Without the guys on the team, running
and racing would not be as meaningful and fun; we
push each other to be the best runners that we can be
to glorify God with our talents.”
Though athletics have been a big part of Wrobel’s
life, academics have also played an important role in
his development and his choice to come to Calvin.
“I chose Calvin because of its combination of the
excellent running program, the science division’s
good reputation and the wonderful Christian atmosphere,” he said. Wrobel, who is majoring in chemistry,
has been accepted into the Memphis Teacher Residency
program. There he will co-teach in a high school chemistry
class as well take classes toward a master’s degree
in urban education for the first year of the program.
After the first year, he will remain in the Memphis
City School District teaching chemistry in his own
classroom in a high school.
An All-MIAA and Great Lakes All-Region selection
in cross country last fall, Wrobel will first return for one
more cross country season during the upcoming fall as
he missed his first-year cross country campaign with an
injury. “Next year we strive to do the same, but our tangible
goal is to win the national title,” he said. “We have
a lot of motivated and talented runners coming back
that should make for an exciting season.” |
