Salute To Seniors: Steven Brown - Wesley Chapel

Salute To Seniors: Steven Brown - Mandarin

What was your most memorable race?

My most memorable race was my senior year of cross country at the Pasco High School meet. I remember at the one mile mark I was in 7th, and my teammate was in 6th and we were about 800 meters behind the front group of five guys. We couldn't see them anymore because of the large distance they had put on us, with about a little less than a mile to go, my team mate DJ and myself made our kick,. Within no time we had caught up to 3rd and 4th who were around 200 meters behind the front two guys, We passed them an set our sites on the leaders. To everyones' surprise the two top guys who were first place the entire meet and were battling really hard for the win got passes by DJ and myself with 100 to go. I had gone from 7th to second and closed an 800 meter gap to get my best placing ever in a cross country meet.  

 

What would you consider your biggest competition?

No one person stood out as my biggest competition. When I get out there on the track or the cross country course I change my demeanor and everyone becomes my competition. No more mister nice guy as my parents would like to say.

 

Out of all of your high school accomplishments which stands out the most?

Being named 2012 Cross Country/Track MVP.

 

If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?

I would start running cross country and track my freshmen year in high school. I waited till my sophomore year to start track and my junior year to start cross country, and I know that if I would've started my freshmen year I could've accomplished great things. 

 

What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

 

- The most difficult obstacle that I had to overcome had to be my first year running track, I ran majority of the season with a pulled groin. Even though there was so much pain I only missed one race, and one day of practice. 

 

What will you miss the most?

 

-The thing I will miss most would definitely be my team. There was no other group of people I'd rather be with at a meet other than my family and my team. We might not of been the fastest team at the meet, but we were fur sure a team that acted as a family and cheered everyone on. 

 

Do you have any advice for younger athletes?

 

Listen to your Coaches, There paid and given the name "Coach" for a reason They know how to help you improve, and they want to see you shine. If your a distance runner make sure you put in miles over the summer. That's key to running cross country. 

 

Do you have any advice for younger athletes? What influence has your coach had on you with respect to your performance and overall life goals?

My coaches have helped me greatly with my life goals. When I started track I knew right away that this was something that I wanted to do after high school. With the help of Coach Colding and Coach Allen they have bettered my times enough to have me even looked at by college coaches. 

 

What are your college plans?

My college plans are to attend Saint Leo University in the fall to run both Cross Country and Track. 

 

Who would you like to say thank you to?

 

I'd like to thank first of all my family for attending all of my yrack meets, I'd also like to thank my coaches for believing in my from the start. I woudl've never made it this far without the dedication that my coaches have had with me over the years. I'd also like to thank Jack Dey, if there was one person along my whole running career who cared the most about me improving it had to be Mr. Dey. He would check in on me every week and would help me when I asked him what i could do to make myself a better running, I really appreciate that. 

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I'd like to make one last shout out to flrunners.com Your website has to be the best high school website in all of Florida to be able to keep up with Florida track. The discussion boards are fun with some of the daily writers and with the new features this website keeps creating theres no way I could ever stop using it.