Following his being named as FTHS Athlete of the Month for September, the Patriot Press sat down with cross country star Jack Wicke.

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What’s your favorite part about cross country?

– I think the aspect of challenging yourself to beat yourself every week in a race. It’s not just a competition against other schools, it’s a competition about yourself to see how well you can do.

Do you have a pre-meet ritual?

– I am a big music guy. Obviously, with running you have a whole stretching routine. I like to listen to Playboy Carti, Kanye, Lil Uzi Vert, and Travis Scott.

Are you ever nervous before your meets?

– Yes, all the time, and the music helps with that.

How did you get into cross country?

– I got into running because at a young age I saw I was pretty fast and my brother Joe was running with my dad and I thought I might as well try it. I tried it and I was really good at it so I started doing it in middle school and just went off from there.

How do you feel about the stigma around cross country kids?

–I think that sometimes it is well deserved but no one knows about all the hard work that goes into running cross country. It is underappreciated for sure.

What’s your favorite part about being part of a team?

– I enjoy being with teammates and having a network of people who are there to support you. And you can understand and empathize with their struggles because you’re going through the same thing as them. It makes you stronger not only as an individual but also in that team aspect of it.

What’s your favorite memory running for Township?

– My favorite memory is probably A-North 2021, because even though I didn’t do great in that race, it started pouring. It was so much fun. It was just a fun day and one of the only times I have gotten to run in the rain. It was just fun to do it with the team.

What is your biggest goal?

– My biggest goal is on an individual level to go sub 17:30 at Ocean County Park, and on a team level it is to qualify for Shore Conference Championships.

Who’s your biggest inspiration?

– Dan Valentino. 

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Here are some of Jack’s accomplishments from September:

• Captain
• Fastest team time in each race of the month
• Set a personal best time in each race of the month

Here’s what Coach Fromuth had to say about Jack’s impact: “He has consistently led the team by example at practice and at meets so far this season. Other team members have run better as a result of his leadership at practices and meets.”