Senior Spotlight: Kevin Paszko of Hanover Central



Athlete Name: Kevin Paszko

School: Hanover Central High School


What was your most memorable meet and why?

The 2017 New Prairie Semi-State was my greatest meet because I had qualified for the state cross country meet for the second time, which was a first for any runner at Hanover.


Where did you face your biggest competition?

My biggest competition was also faced at the New Prairie Semi-State. Obviously when you get that far in the state tournament you have whittled down the competition to almost the best of the best and I was always nervous during the semi-state for fear of that high caliber of so many athletes in one race.


Out of all of your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most and why?
Undoubtedly my crowning achievement would have to be qualifying for state in cross country twice in my career due to the historic aspect of it. It also speaks to the job that my coaches Steve Foulds and Michelle Duffy have done over the course of my career and that was very important for me as well.


If you could do it all over again, what would you change about your running career in high school?

I'm not sure I would change a thing, honestly. I thoroughly enjoyed my time that I spent running for Hanover and I was fortunate enough to come into a program that had high quality athletes for cross country and track and they imparted essential wisdom to me from the very start of my freshman year and that carried on through the remainder of my career.




What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome during your HS Track career?

Thankfully, I didn't have too many obstacles to overcome while I was running. I would have heel and foot blisters during indoor track, but I didn't encounter any real issues until my senior track season. It was very tough to train in December due to temperatures regularly being 20 below zero. Then I was stricken with the flu for two weeks in February and forced to stop running as a result. I knew I had a long road ahead of me after that but I remained hopeful I could make a comeback, but it was not meant to be as I then acquired two strained ligaments in my hip that ended my senior season and my high school career.


What will you miss the most?

I will miss the sport of cross country in general the most. There are so many facets that it offers as a sport and it really is unlike anything I've ever done in a group setting for sports. The people might be what I miss the most within the sport itself. I had the privilege to meet some fantastic people along the way and some of them became some of my best friends that I forged an unbreakable bond with. Others were people I would meet on the line most weekends at invitationals that were real class acts and I had a great pleasure going toe to toe with them every week.




Do you have any advice for younger athletes?

The biggest piece of advice I ever learned came from my coach who always stresses that you have to put in base work during the summer months and they will translate to more success in the post-season. He always stressed that and he was absolutely right about it because I can say without a doubt that those summer practices were instrumental in my success and contributed to my progression as an athlete.


What are your post-high school or college plans?

I will be attending Iowa State University to pursue a degree in architecture. However, I will not be running competitively for them.


Who would you like to say thank you to?

I would have to give a huge thanks to my middle school cross country and high school track coach Chris York for being the first person to identify that I had any sort of potential for being good at running. My middle school track coach Chris Hill for training me well enough as a distance runner my 8th grade year to get my first taste of success in competition. My high school cross country and track coach Steve Foulds for having over 30 years of expertise to offer to me all four of my years at Hanover and for allowing me to proudly wear a Hanover uniform and get our name out on the distance scene not only in northwest Indiana, but on a statewide scale. My other cross country coach Michelle Duffy for her work as a large motivator for not only myself but for my teammates over the years and for her intensity and encouragement during the race that she would offer to us. She also helped to bring cross country to the forefront at our school so it could steal some attention from the football team during the fall. My coach outside of school Brendan Smith for aiding in taking me to a higher level as a runner through meets such as NXR and Footlocker in November as well as starting as group to gather fellow small school runners to train together to help each other get better. My former teammate Nick Zak for being an elite runner that didn't shy away from a freshman who had little real running experience and for really being a mentor to my fellow teammates and I. I only ran with him for one year, but it was the greatest experience to gain from an athlete like that. Last but not least I would have to thank my parents for nothing but endless support over the years which really forms the foundation for success by offering all sorts of positivity in a myriad of ways that was also a backbone of my career.