Student-Athlete of the Week: Ben Classen

This fall will look a little different for Niwot senior Ben Classen. After spending the past two years playing football, the Niwot High incoming senior has decided to shift his complete focus to track and field.

Classen believes his best chance of securing an athletic scholarship will come through track, a sport that he excelled in last spring. His decision also factored in the elimination of any potential for injury he could have suffered playing football.

Last season, Classen was named Niwot's starting quarterback and he helped lead the Cougars (4-6) to their best record since 2008. The speedy QB rushed for an impressive 754 yards while adding 350 yards through the air. He also had 61 total tackles and two interceptions in Niwot's defensive secondary. All that production on both sides of the ball earned him a CHSAA All-State honorable mention.

Classen then joined head coach Maurice Henriques' track and field squad in the spring and was a valuable piece of Niwot's 4A state-winning 4x400-meter relay team. Individually, he also finished fifth in state for the 400-meters.

With his entire attention now on track and field, Classen hopes he can produce even better results next spring.

"I'm super excited because now I get to be able to train - I'm going to start in August I think and I'm going to get to train all the way up until indoor season, which is in December," Classen said. "I'm going to do indoor and then I'll be even more ready than I was this year for the spring track season."

Senior year can be a whirlwind for many high schoolers and Classen added that while it's important for him to stay focused, he hopes to have at least a little more fun. But fulfilling his veteran duty of being a leader is also crucial.

"As a leader, you need to be able to pick people up and tell them that everything's going to be okay and that you've just got to keep putting in the work," Classen said. "I also want to lead by example and just be a hard worker and somebody that everybody can look to."

On a personal level, Classen's goal is to run the 400 in 47 seconds - his best time last year was 49.52 seconds. The first order of business for him this summer has been to improve his lower body strength and flexibility,

"I've been working with a personal trainer and I'm doing stuff in the weight room like squats and deadlifts and getting more stretched out so I can be more limber for next season," Classen said.

In the fall, Classen said he'll be working with Henriques through his REAL Training track club.