Student-athlete of the Week: Jack Kenkel

As an IB student and multi-sport athlete at Niwot, senior Jack Kenkel didn't choose the path of least resistance in high school, but the Princeton University-bound runner wouldn't have had it any other way.

"Neither felt too challenging because I really enjoyed the IB program, and I obviously love track," he said about his four years as a Cougar. "Honestly, balancing the two was the most challenging part. It wasn't impossible to do, it just took a little bit of discipline."

It's not clear whether that discipline served Kenkel better in the classroom or on the track, as his success in both is impressive. As a student, he focused on math and science classes in the demanding diploma programme-physics being among the hardest- but he also particularly enjoyed IB Economics. He didn't limit himself to just the IB offerings at Niwot, however.

"AP Computer science was the most rewarding class I took," Kenkel said, adding that he plans to study the subject in college. "It was super interesting. It was something I haven't really done anything with, so it was a super fun class, and I really enjoyed it. Mrs. Ewing is the best."

According to Ewing, watching Kenkel's passion for computer science evolve over the course of the semester was just as rewarding from the opposite perspective.

"He was absolutely determined to get an A+ in my class," Ewing said. "He was always the first to turn in assignments, but it didn't feel like he was doing it to beat the other kids-he was doing it to beat himself. And I don't see that very often, honestly. It was a very interesting way to approach the class."

Kenkel also used a similar approach to running in his time with the Niwot cross country and track teams, which coach Kelly Christensen wishes had been longer. As a freshman, Kenkel tried on a number of different sports-golf, baseball, and basketball-but finally succumbed to Christensen's entreaties to test his talent on the track as a sophomore.

"We didn't get a lot of time with Jack, but the amount that he improved during the two-and-a-half years is eye-opening," Christensen said. "His upside was huge in how much he was improving year to year."

It didn't take long for Kenkel to become one of the program's top varsity runners, confirming Christensen's assessment of the gifted athlete's speed. In 2019, he helped lead both the track and cross county teams to their first-ever Class 4A state titles, and even provided the heroics in the case of the former.

"When they got to my leg, they gave me the lead and I thought, 'Man, I'd better not lose this'," he said of Niwot's win over Durango in the 4x400m relay finals to secure the 2019 team track title. Kenkel dove to the finish to beat Durango runner Aidan Fitzgerald and vault Niwot into the lead. "So I ran as hard as I could, and ended up winning out of the line. I didn't think about it too much-I just figured whatever happens, happens. I wasn't even thinking about the dive. It just happened."

Christensen was predicting a record-breaking 2020 season for Kenkel when athletics were canceled due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic. At that point, the senior's college plans were still undetermined, and he had been banking on another championship performance to catch the eye of high-level recruiters. But Kenkel's clear record of achievement on the track and in the classroom stood out to at least one of those recruiters, resulting in an Ivy League offer that came as a "huge relief" to the senior, as well as his coach.

"He was ready, in my opinion, to break the state all-classification record in the 800m and make a name for himself," Christensen said. "So things really worked out, because he knew he wasn't going to get that opportunity....That just shows what can happen when you do take pride and discipline, and everything is done by the book."

Kenkel plans to study computer science at Princeton and will specialize in the 800m and 1500m track events. He hasn't quite settled on a career path, but working in application development or artificial intelligence are both possibilities. Both Ewing and Christensen believe he will thrive in the high-pressure environment, thanks to his ever-present drive challenge himself.

"That's where he belongs," Christensen said of the vaunted 274-year-old university. "He wanted to be at a high level academically and athletically, and around people like him, who took things seriously and have a disciplined mindset. He has a great coach, who's trained Olympians, and it wouldn't surprise me if Jack continues to make a name for himself, qualify for Nationals, and become an All-American."