Colonial High School standout Steven Fernandez had a great four year career running for the Grenadiers. He graduated in 2010 and is currently in his junior year at the University of South Florida running for the Bulls. We caught up with Steven to talk about his high school days as well as how college running is going.
What was the biggest adjustment you had to make to compete at the college level?
The biggest adjustment I had to make to compete at the college level would be the amount of mileage and work intensity that I have to perform throughout the week to be able to compete against these great athletes.
Is there anything you can tell high school athletes to better prepare them for college experience?
I would tell high school athletes that one of the most important things to do is stay healthy and make sure you train smart. Especially for cross-country runners your summer running is very important and you do not want to bump up to crazy mileage without gradually getting your body used to it. Also, as long as you keep your determination and positive mentality on wanting to be the best athlete you can possibly be for yourself and your team you will strive for success.
What memories from competing in high school stand out the most?
It's pretty hard to consider what stands out the most because everything had a significant impact, but one would be the amount of supporters that came out to watch us run, having a 
large crowd screaming and cheering gets your adrenaline going and made me happy to perform for myself, my school (Colonial), and everyone else. Now it’s harder to have people watch us since we travel so much, unlike in high school it was all in state. Winning races is another great memory. In high school you only raced against kids in Florida, but now its against many athletes around the country so it is more competitive and harder to accomplish.
large crowd screaming and cheering gets your adrenaline going and made me happy to perform for myself, my school (Colonial), and everyone else. Now it’s harder to have people watch us since we travel so much, unlike in high school it was all in state. Winning races is another great memory. In high school you only raced against kids in Florida, but now its against many athletes around the country so it is more competitive and harder to accomplish.
What do you miss most about running in high school?
I miss everything about running in high school! That includes my team, coaches, the atmosphere of the spectators, running against my friends from other schools who had the same goals, no worries about anything just running, knowing that at times it was up to me to get points to win the meets.
What piece of coaching or advice that someone gave you has been the biggest help?
I am a great listener so I receive every advice I can get possibly get, but till this day I still look for advice from my high school coach, Coach P. He has helped me get through high school and collegiate running and life in general. What he always tells me is work hard, stay positive no matter the outcome, and have fun. That is exactly what I did in high school and that helped me get to where I am now. So that is exactly what I’m doing now in college because I know I will see the same results now and in the future.
Personal Bests
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10,000 Meter Run35:13.90
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1,600 Meter Run4:22.18
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3200 Meter Run9:35.80
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5,000 Meter Run15:35.04
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8000 Meter Run26:25.24
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