Ryder Anagnos

Track and field star Ryder Anagnos sat down to talk about his signing with Stockton University and what being a college athlete means to him. 

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Hey Ryder! Congrats on being an FTHS college athlete! I’m sure this is a big accomplishment. 

– Thanks. It is a huge moment in my sports career, being able to play the sport I love in college. 

What sport do you play?

– Track and field. I am a sprinter and jumper.

Gotcha. If you had to choose, which position do you like more?

– Definitely jumping. I mean, I love them both, but I think that jumping is my favorite aspect of the sport. 

Any reason why?

– That energy before the jump. The heat of the moment, my teammates cheering me on and clapping. I have always had a passion for sprinting, but I definitely like jumping more. 

For our readers, where are you going to college?

– Stockton University. 

Thanks. Stockton is a great school to be representing. Transitioning a bit here, what is your favorite memory while playing for Township? I’m sure that with your experience in the sport, you probably have many to choose from. 

– I would say that winning the Shore Conference Championship (my freshman year), was my favorite memory. We won the whole thing. It was definitely a big moment for me, winning such a big event like the Shore Conference Championship as someone new on the team. It really boosted my confidence.

As a freshman at the time, had you decided which part of the sport to focus on, to mainly pursue?

– Even as a freshman, I had my mind set on sprinting and jumping. I knew that it was something I had a passion for, and something that I could take to the next level. 

Who (or what) got you into track and field in the first place? Do you have a favorite professional athlete/inspiration? How were you introduced to the sport?

– For professional athletes, Noah Lyles is definitely one of my favorites. Watching him was really one of my first inspirations to sprint. After I started track and field, I just had my mind set on really pursuing my goals. 

Hard work and dedication. It really pays off. In fact, it has paid off so much that you will be representing Freehold Township High School in college athletics! How does this make you feel?

– It feels great, honestly. I love this school, and for the past four years, I have loved participating for and representing this school both academically and athletically. It feels awesome.

Another awesome aspect of being a senior on the team, knowing that you will be representing FTHS in college is the role you have on the team. As a senior, how do you act as a role model for younger teammates?

–  The main way I do this is by giving them lots of advice, especially on things that I would usually mess up, so they can improve. Even parts of the sport such as hurdles (which I don’t even do), I try to tell them everything I know about the sport. 

That’s great. As a senior (especially one who is good enough to play college sports), you really earn the respect of your teammates and coaches. Anything else you do to help lead the team?

– I lead stretches a lot, which is very important. I try to get my teammates in the best shape possible for their meets. 

Awesome. I’m sure they appreciate your efforts to help them out, goes to show the true meaning of a team . Moving forward, what would you say are your main goals for college sports?

– Definitely to go 43-44 in the triple jump. They are basically my personal goals, my personal distances that I want to hit. 

Now, I’m pretty unfamiliar with typical “good” numbers in track and field, so what exactly do these numbers mean? (Literally and from a goal standpoint). 

– These distances are my personal records in triple jump. Basically, in triple jump, you do two cycles with your leg, a bound, and then a jump. 43-44 in the triple jump is a big goal of mine.

Wow, that’s almost 4 feet! Pretty crazy number to actually think about. 

– Thanks. Yeah, it’s not the easiest thing, but something that I’ve been getting better at and have put the work into. 

Awesome. Wrapping things up here. What advice would you give for those looking to participate in track and field?

– Sports attitude is one of the biggest things. Even if you lose, you have to always keep your head up, stay positive, and look for ways to improve.

Good words of advice. I know from personal experience that trying out for any sport can be pretty nerve racking. How would you encourage people to stay dedicated to putting in the work they need to succeed?

– Yeah, you gotta put the work in. Eventually, your efforts will pay off if you keep putting that work in.

Agreed. Alright, it looks like we’re all done here! Thanks again. Congrats on signing. 

– Thanks so much.