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Shoreline, State Champion Schumann Always Puts His Team First

Few cross country runners were as successful as Haddam-Killingworth’s Dan Schumann in the 2016 postseason, but spoken like a true professional, Dan was more pleased with his team’s achievements than any personal glory.

Dan, a junior, started with cross country in the 5th grade, although baseball was actually his first love. As time wore on, the pathways became Dan’s top priority and his dedication to cross country grew. This fall, Dan made a name for himself by taking first place at the Shoreline Conference Championship with a time of 16:34 and then prevailing at the Class SS State Championship in 16:33. More importantly for Dan, though, is the fact that the Cougars captured first place as a team at each postseason meet.

“I pulled towards running because all of my friends did it and I thrived in the more fun atmosphere of it,” says Dan, who recorded these accomplishments after missing the indoor track season and undergoing surgery for a sports hernia. “I was unsure of myself after the surgery because I hadn’t run that fast for that distance, but once I did, it all felt pretty good. Winning both individual titles was more about the team and the whole point of our year was to be good at the end of it. It paid off with Shorelines and states. We wanted to go out there and give it our all for the team.”

Dan, who recently competed at the New England Championship, has run on the big stage in the postseason multiple times and so he knows how to get in the right mindset for those pressure-packed races. When it comes to pacing himself, Dan has a knack for kicking it into first gear during the latter half of the chase.

“Usually on the bus ride up to a meet, I try to relax and not freak out. I also sometimes meditate in class to help keep my mind off things,” Dan says. “I also try to prepare for a race the night before in bed and tell myself that I know I can be right there with other great competitors. I run my best when I don’t go insanely fast. I just try to pick it up in the second half of the race and try to pass people.”

HK’s Head Coach Matt Diglio says that Dan’s mastery of his craft is the product of a family environment among the Cougars, in addition to a selfless desire to succeed for his mates.

“Dan is a very dedicated and hard-working young man who has made tremendous improvements as a runner over the past several years. He is very coachable and always brings a positive attitude to practice each day,” says Diglio. “Dan is part of a close-knit group of junior boys and always puts the team goals and accomplishments in front of his own individual accolades. He is passionate and enthusiastic about running and I believe that has been a big factor in his recent success. I was happy for him winning the Shoreline and state individual titles, but even more proud in his quote afterwards that it was all about the team.”

Dan knows there’s a lot of prestige that comes with being part of the winning tradition at HK. That’s why Dan always holds himself to the highest standard while helping the Cougars add to their trophy case. Dan is already thinking about achieving a notable feat in his send-off cross country season next fall.

“I consider myself lucky to be on this team. Coach Diglio is a great coach and to run with these guys is an honor. It feels good to be a part of this team and leave it all out there,” says Dan, who thanks Dick Dupuis, along with the entire HK cross country program, both varsity and JV. “I want to stay healthy for all three seasons and I’d like to make it to nationals as a senior.”