Ben Dines '15
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Kurt Ruegg (KR) graduated this past year from Harvard, and comes to Santa Clara with a final year of eligibility for cross country/track. Ruegg chatted with Santa Clara Broncos (SCB) about returning to California, learning from mistakes, and goals for this year.
SCB: You grew up in Napa but attended college at Harvard. What brings you back to Northern California and here to SCU?
KR: When I was deciding where to go for my fifth year, I knew for certain that I wanted to come back to California. The weather on the West Coast is much more conducive for training and I realized during my time back East that California is the place I want to settle down. New England will always have a special place in my heart, but I know that I'm a Californian through and through. As far as choosing Santa Clara, Coach Felipe [Montoro] was extremely welcoming and I felt confident that his team was going to be a good training environment.
SCB: How are you bringing what you learned at Harvard here to Santa Clara and to the cross country/track team?
KR: I feel that competing in college for four years has taught me a lot of things. I made a lot of mistakes during that time and as a result, have learned a lot about running. I'm hoping I can impart some of this knowledge to the guys on the team so that they can have smoother careers.
SCB: How do you balance academics and sports?
KR: Balancing academics and sports can be a challenge. It requires being very committed to time management and knowing that putting something off can have large consequences down the line.
SCB: What are you anticipating for this year?
KR: I'm anticipating a top-three finish at WCC's at the very least and a race that will put us in position to qualify for nationals at the regional meet. Individually, I want to break 24:00 in the 8k and finish first team at conference.
SCB: With all the wisdom I'm sure you have gained in the past few years, what advice would you like to pass on to the incoming freshmen at SCU?
KR: If I could pass on one piece of information to guys on the team it would be that consistency pays off. Great runners aren't made in a single season. It sometimes takes years of development and staying healthy for a guy to become fast.
Go Broncos!
