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02/07/2018 11:00 PMKurt Sodergren says he was surprised with how much he enjoyed cross country after first trying the sport in 8th grade. With that enjoyment came a drive that propelled Kurt to become a varsity runner and, ultimately, a champion at Haddam-Killingworth.
Kurt was immersed in cross country from the moment he started, and it became his dream to compete for the varsity squad at H-K. Kurt came up just short of that goal as a junior, but following an offseason of relentless training, he made varsity as a senior captain for the Cougars last fall. Kurt went on to earn a spot on the All-Shoreline Conference First Team, helped the Cougars claim Shoreline Conference and Class SS state crowns, and then raced alongside his teammates at the New England Championship.
“I was caught off-guard by how much I enjoyed cross country at first. H-K was a family environment and a phenomenal program,” says Kurt, who finished seventh at the Shoreline Conference Championship in 2017. “It was disheartening when I didn’t make varsity as a junior, but it fueled a lot of determination for me to come back. It was a grind going in. It was hard with summer miles and runs. I bonded with the varsity guys, and we each held the desire to go to New Englands. We came together as a team at Shorelines and states and, when we made regionals, it wasn’t from the accomplishments of one runner; it was truly a team effort.”
A pivotal moment for Kurt during his quest to make varsity was when he finished first at the JV Shoreline Conference Championship in the fall of 2016. Kurt feels that victory was the final push of momentum he needed to take the leap to the next level.
“That was a big accomplishment, and I felt really good about it,” Kurt says. “I knew going into the race that it would be me or a teammate of mine that would win. Being able to have that race and reach my capacity, it gave me a big confidence boost.”
Kurt doesn’t stick to a specific strategy when it comes to pacing himself on the trails. Instead, he reminds himself that there is no gain without the pain. Kurt says there’s a different level of intensity between the varsity and JV levels, but adds that both teams foster a sense of togetherness among the Cougars.
“5Ks are interesting races. In the first mile, your adrenaline is up, but after that, it starts to leave and you start to hurt. It boils down to not panicking. You will hurt, but you need to focus and keep going,” says Kurt. “The varsity group is very tight-knit with fast-paced guys. In JV, the guys are relaxed, fun-loving, and caring. In both teams, everyone identifies with each other strongly.”
H-K boys’ cross country Head Coach Matt Diglio feels that Kurt has made a lot of progress during the past four years. Diglio says Kurt has not only developed as a runner, but also as a leader and a role model on the squad.
“Kurt went from being a top JV runner last year to one of our top seven varsity runners this fall due to all of the training and hard work he put in over the summer,” says Diglio. “Kurt was one of our captains of the team and was a true leader in every sense of the word. He was liked and respected by all of his teammates and led not only with his words, but with his actions, as Kurt is very focused, dedicated, and hard-working.”
Kurt has gained an appreciation of the essence of H-K’s cross country program throughout his career with the Cougars. Along the way, he’s learned an invaluable life lesson about persisting through all odds and obstacles.
“As an athlete, H-K cross country gave me something I was good at, which helped my confidence. As I became an upperclassman, I took away more of what Coach Diglio was trying to implement in the program,” Kurt says. “I learned that success is built on the pillars of effort. You need to do everything you can do to reach your full potential.”