Athlete of the Week: Spittler points toward state meet berth
From the moment he joined the Norwich varsity track and field team as an eighth-grader, senior Steven Spittler immediately became the Tornado’s best distance runner.
He has progressed steadily over the past five years dropping his times in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races. Just last fall, Spittler reached the pinnacle of his cross country career when he became the first Norwich cross country runner to qualify for the state meet in nearly two decades.
Spittler, too, is reaching the apex of his final spring track and field season after winning back-to-back top male track performer awards at the REK Invitational hosted by Norwich two weeks ago, then matching that feat a week ago at the Sherburne-Earlville Invitational.
The Tornado harrier earned his awards running completely separate events. He focused on the middle distance events at Norwich taking the 400- and 800-meter races, while also running the anchor on two first-place relays. At Sherburne-Earlville, he returned to his staple events, the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races winning each with relative ease.
Spittler’s dominance in local meets has garnered him our weekly honor as Evening Sun/Smith Ford L.L.C. Athlete of the Week.
“He’s the type of kid who is always looking to do whatever it takes to help our team win,” said Norwich boys’ varsity track coach, Paul Sims.
An example of Spittler’s mindset was his first-place finish in the 3,200-meter race at the Sherburne-Earlville meet. “He wasn’t even going to run the two-mile this year,” Sims said. “He ran it once in the dual meet in something like 10:30. He entered that event (at Sherburne) and he won pretty easily.”
Spittler knew the two-mile was an event he could win; moreover, it allowed him to grab valuable team points for Norwich, who finished a surprising third in the overall team scoring.
All along, though, Spittler’s focus is directed at the 1,600-meter race, and ultimately a berth on the Section IV team at the New York State meet next month. He has indulged in shorter races to prepare for his big moment.
“I wanted to mix it up and do some speed work in the shorter races (the 400 and 800 meters),” Spittler said, who achieved a meet record at the longer distance at Norwich. “Running the shorter distances makes the pace in the longer ones more relaxed.”
To qualify for the New York State Division II meet, Spittler needs to meet the standard cut-off time (4:27) or reign as the top Division II miler. At this point, his best time is a 4:36 this season, three seconds behind front-runner Chad Noelle of Greene. “If there are great conditions and I run a great race, I think I can reach the cut-off time,” Spittler said, ever the optimist. “Everything is going well right now. I just need to stay relaxed and keep it smooth. Once I get through the tough part of the race, I know my kick will be there in the end.”
Spittler is Norwich’s most decorated distance runner over the past 20 years and among the elite runners in Chenango County. Soon enough, the rest of the Section IV area will know that too.
He has progressed steadily over the past five years dropping his times in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races. Just last fall, Spittler reached the pinnacle of his cross country career when he became the first Norwich cross country runner to qualify for the state meet in nearly two decades.
Spittler, too, is reaching the apex of his final spring track and field season after winning back-to-back top male track performer awards at the REK Invitational hosted by Norwich two weeks ago, then matching that feat a week ago at the Sherburne-Earlville Invitational.
The Tornado harrier earned his awards running completely separate events. He focused on the middle distance events at Norwich taking the 400- and 800-meter races, while also running the anchor on two first-place relays. At Sherburne-Earlville, he returned to his staple events, the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races winning each with relative ease.
Spittler’s dominance in local meets has garnered him our weekly honor as Evening Sun/Smith Ford L.L.C. Athlete of the Week.
“He’s the type of kid who is always looking to do whatever it takes to help our team win,” said Norwich boys’ varsity track coach, Paul Sims.
An example of Spittler’s mindset was his first-place finish in the 3,200-meter race at the Sherburne-Earlville meet. “He wasn’t even going to run the two-mile this year,” Sims said. “He ran it once in the dual meet in something like 10:30. He entered that event (at Sherburne) and he won pretty easily.”
Spittler knew the two-mile was an event he could win; moreover, it allowed him to grab valuable team points for Norwich, who finished a surprising third in the overall team scoring.
All along, though, Spittler’s focus is directed at the 1,600-meter race, and ultimately a berth on the Section IV team at the New York State meet next month. He has indulged in shorter races to prepare for his big moment.
“I wanted to mix it up and do some speed work in the shorter races (the 400 and 800 meters),” Spittler said, who achieved a meet record at the longer distance at Norwich. “Running the shorter distances makes the pace in the longer ones more relaxed.”
To qualify for the New York State Division II meet, Spittler needs to meet the standard cut-off time (4:27) or reign as the top Division II miler. At this point, his best time is a 4:36 this season, three seconds behind front-runner Chad Noelle of Greene. “If there are great conditions and I run a great race, I think I can reach the cut-off time,” Spittler said, ever the optimist. “Everything is going well right now. I just need to stay relaxed and keep it smooth. Once I get through the tough part of the race, I know my kick will be there in the end.”
Spittler is Norwich’s most decorated distance runner over the past 20 years and among the elite runners in Chenango County. Soon enough, the rest of the Section IV area will know that too.
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