Garrett Sapakoff '12 Recruiting Profile

I have enjoyed competition my whole life.  In more recent years, I have learned that running is my greatest athletic gift, and I am focused on becomming the best I can be.  I enjoyed success as a distance runner from the time I first began running for my Middle School Cross Country team, finishing in the top ten in my league all three years.  In my Freshman year at Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, I showed dramatic improvement with every meet, finishing in the top ten in our league meet, and 18th in the Regional Meet with a PR of 17:05.  My family and I decided to transfer to Littleton High School for my sophmore year, and I had high hopes for the upcoming cross country season.  Unfortunately, I suffered a serious tibia/fibula break in a summer baseball game, and was unable to run at all during my sophmore year.  After working hard in physical therapy and then playing baseball in the spring, I resumed serious tranining in the summer before my junior year.  I believe I only began to approach my potential during my junior year, and look forward to a breakthrough season as a senior.  I also ran track for the first time in my life during my junior year, and found that I love it!  I only wish I had realized sooner how exciting and rewarding this sport can be.  I am excited about continuing to develop as a track athlete in my senior year and in college.  I plan to give up baseball in my senior year to concentrate on my running and on being the best student I can be.  As much as I look forward to competing in college as an athlete, I am even more focused on proving I can succeed as a student.