Samuel Gerstenbacher '16 Recruiting Profile

A.P. Schalick High SchoolPittsgrove, NJMen's Track

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Height5'11"

Weight140lbs

Age26

Primary Position5K

Secondary Position1600M

Dominant HandRight

1600M4:24.25

3200M9:40

5K16:03

800M1:58.05

Video

Samuel has not added a video yet, but here is a sample of an NCSA professionally edited video.

Personal Statement

Hello Coach,
My dream is to someday be a competitive collegiate runner. This has been a goal of mine for as long as I can remember. Coming into cross-country and track I didn't know what to expect or how to race because I had never run more than a mile or two in my entire life. When I started cross country I was intimidated by the thought of running longer distances. But now being an experienced runner I have learned a lot since then and I give it my all every practice because I have always committed myself mentally and physically to doing something I love.
Being a competitive runner I like having good competition, it helps me push myself beyond my limits and brings out the best in my running abilities. I'm sure you hear that same sentence all the time but push myself on every long run, every sprint workout and every tempo run because I know that someone, somewhere is working just as hard. My goal every workout is to work harder than my competition so that when the time comes I'll be more than ready. I am really looking for a school that has a competitive cross country and track team with a coach who would push me to be the best student-athlete I can possibly be. I have learned over time to attack every workout and run because if you don't give it your all then what's the point in competing? I am willing to do anything that will make me a better person physically and mentally.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Samuel Gerstenbacher

Athletics

High School Information

Years w/ Varsity
6 years
2015 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-County, 2nd Team All-State, Best on the Track Award-varsity
Team Awards
Sectional 2nd Place
2014 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
1st Team All-County, Honorable Mention All-Conference
2014 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-County
2014 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-County, 2nd Team All-State, 2nd Team All-Region
Team Awards
Conference Chanmps, Sectional 2nd Place
2013 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
2nd Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-County, colt classic 3rd place, group 1 sectionals 9th place out of 115
Team Awards
Sectional 3rd Place, 7th in group 1 at states
2013 Varsity Team

Coach References

High School Head Coach
Steven Pierangeli
High School Assistant Coach
Darren Harris

Events

Camp/Event
Pioneer Valley XC Camp
7/21/13 to 7/27/13
Hill/altitude training on tall mountains in northern Mass. My whole team went and we learned many stretches and workouts.

Training

Pioneer Valley XC Camp, Massachusetts
1 year
Hosted at Amherst College in Massachusetts I experienced my first XC camp. What I saw and partook in that week was my first real eye opener in my cross country journey. I was immediately surrounded by a fraternity of hundreds of people who lived and breathed running and by the end of the week I was doing the same. During my time at camp I was given a gait analysis and studied my stride, learned many static and dynamic stretches and participated in a nutrition seminar as well. I left that camp much wiser about running and caring for my body better than I ever had before.
Hawk Harrier XC Camp 2014
2 years
1 week down in the mountains of Maryland. Mike Glavin the head coach of Saint Joseph's University was the camp director.
Running Works XC Camp
1 year
Based in Canadensis, PA, I experienced a week of hard, hilly runs with plenty of beneficial classes and seminars. I was in the A group at camp and ran a weekly total of 71 miles. I had the privilege to train along side of and pushed by 14 other young men, many of which I race against here in South Jersey. It was a great experience and I learned many new tips and techniques over the course of the week.

Additional Sports

Soccer
4 years
Varsity Team
I played soccer most of my life. As a younger person. it was one of my true competitive passions. I starting playing at the age of 5 with the township recreational program followed by 6 years of competitive travel soccer before making my High School Var
Swimming
4 years
Freshman Team
My parents introduced me to swimming when I was 4 years old. My father always said, "you can do what you want...play any sport you want...but you will always have swimming as your base". Of course, at the time, I didnt realize the value of swimming and
Soccer
1 year
Varsity Team
I have always ran but soccer was my main sport until I gave it up for XC this past fall season. I played soccer for 8 years.
Swimming
1 year
Freshman Team
I am a strong swimmer...I swam for the Elmer Swim Club for 5 years