University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
Meet the Newcomers: Sydney Kretlow
9/19/2019 8:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
Get to know Gophers freshman Syd Kretlow, a distance runner from Owatonna, Minn.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Freshman Sydney Kretlow joins the Gopher track & field and cross country program as a distance runner from Owatonna, Minn. A three-sport athlete at Owatonna High School who competed in track & field, gymnastics, and soccer, Kretlow explains how she got into running, her athletic career so far, why she chose the University of Minnesota, and more.
Gopher Sports: How did you get into running?
Sydney Kretlow: Well, ever since I was a little girl, I was involved in other sports that didn't necessarily involve running by itself, whether it was soccer or gymnastics. I got into more serious running in seventh grade when I got to junior high.
GS: What was your high school athletic career like?
SK: I was in soccer, gymnastics, and track & field throughout my high school career. In soccer, I played all over the place wherever my team needed me, but I was more of a midfield player. It was always helpful because I had speed and a lot of endurance, so I didn't have to get taken out much for substitutions. In gymnastics, I was lucky enough to have a really successful team for four years. We had four consecutive state championship appearances, and we got third in the state three years in a row. It was really special. In track, I went to state in my ninth and 10th grade years. I ran the 800-meters, 400-meters, 4x800-meter relay, and 4x400-meter relay.
GS: What was it about track that made it be the sport you wanted to pursue in college?
SK: I always thought I was going to do soccer and I had the chance to keep playing soccer, but with track I realized that I didn't have a high running age. I started running in seventh or eighth grade, so I knew that I had so much more room to improve as a runner than in soccer or gymnastics. It called me to see how much I can push myself and improve to be the best runner I can be.
GS: How do you think all three sports complemented one another?
SK: They're all really different, and I was in very different shape for each sport. I think with gymnastics, you have a lot of strength in general, which helped my other sports. Being in track, I developed good endurance for soccer. Then in soccer, it's more of a tactical game. I could work on my endurance and also my speed. They all kind-of came together.
GS: How did you pick the University of Minnesota?
SK: I'm from Owatonna, Minnesota, which is about an hour south of campus. I liked that the University of Minnesota is the only Division I university in Minnesota. At the beginning of my junior year, I was contacted by Coach Hopkins. Before that I never really saw Division I being possible for me, so when the opportunity came up I visited other schools obviously but I fell in love with the university in the first place. Being able to run track at the Division I level was something I really wanted to do.
GS: Do you know what you want to major in?
SK: I'm currently undecided, but I've always wanted to be an elementary education teacher. A lot of my classes are kind of geared toward an elementary education major, but I could still switch them out if need be.
GS: What drew you into the field of teaching?
SK: I love working with kids. That's always been something that I love to do. In high school, I was in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program, so I had a Little and I saw her every week. It was awesome. I love being with kids.
GS: What are you most looking forward to about your first cross country season?
SK: Being able to boost my endurance and my mileage and see how cross country will also help my track season. All of the girls on the team are so awesome. I like that it's more of a team setting than track can be.
GS: What's your favorite distance to race?
SK: The 800-meter run is my favorite. I like it because there is some strategy in that it's a two-lap race. You have some room to play out how you want your race to go. Whoever shows up on that day is the best. I like the strategy part of it.
GS: What has been your proudest moment in your athletic career so far?
SK: I think it would have to be making it to state for the first time in gymnastics because it was the first time in the history of our town that we made it there in the first place. It was the start of us becoming a powerhouse program, and it was really cool to be part of making history like that.
GS: Do you have any pre-race routines or superstitions?
SK: I have this weird superstition where I have to wear a pink ponytail, but that's about it.
GS: Do you have any siblings?
SK: I have an older sister named Steph who is a senior in college, and she goes to the University of St. Thomas. She's on their track & field team and does long jump. My younger brother Drew is a freshman in high school.
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Gopher Sports: How did you get into running?
Sydney Kretlow: Well, ever since I was a little girl, I was involved in other sports that didn't necessarily involve running by itself, whether it was soccer or gymnastics. I got into more serious running in seventh grade when I got to junior high.
GS: What was your high school athletic career like?
SK: I was in soccer, gymnastics, and track & field throughout my high school career. In soccer, I played all over the place wherever my team needed me, but I was more of a midfield player. It was always helpful because I had speed and a lot of endurance, so I didn't have to get taken out much for substitutions. In gymnastics, I was lucky enough to have a really successful team for four years. We had four consecutive state championship appearances, and we got third in the state three years in a row. It was really special. In track, I went to state in my ninth and 10th grade years. I ran the 800-meters, 400-meters, 4x800-meter relay, and 4x400-meter relay.
GS: What was it about track that made it be the sport you wanted to pursue in college?
SK: I always thought I was going to do soccer and I had the chance to keep playing soccer, but with track I realized that I didn't have a high running age. I started running in seventh or eighth grade, so I knew that I had so much more room to improve as a runner than in soccer or gymnastics. It called me to see how much I can push myself and improve to be the best runner I can be.
GS: How do you think all three sports complemented one another?
SK: They're all really different, and I was in very different shape for each sport. I think with gymnastics, you have a lot of strength in general, which helped my other sports. Being in track, I developed good endurance for soccer. Then in soccer, it's more of a tactical game. I could work on my endurance and also my speed. They all kind-of came together.
GS: How did you pick the University of Minnesota?
SK: I'm from Owatonna, Minnesota, which is about an hour south of campus. I liked that the University of Minnesota is the only Division I university in Minnesota. At the beginning of my junior year, I was contacted by Coach Hopkins. Before that I never really saw Division I being possible for me, so when the opportunity came up I visited other schools obviously but I fell in love with the university in the first place. Being able to run track at the Division I level was something I really wanted to do.
GS: Do you know what you want to major in?
SK: I'm currently undecided, but I've always wanted to be an elementary education teacher. A lot of my classes are kind of geared toward an elementary education major, but I could still switch them out if need be.
GS: What drew you into the field of teaching?
SK: I love working with kids. That's always been something that I love to do. In high school, I was in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program, so I had a Little and I saw her every week. It was awesome. I love being with kids.
GS: What are you most looking forward to about your first cross country season?
SK: Being able to boost my endurance and my mileage and see how cross country will also help my track season. All of the girls on the team are so awesome. I like that it's more of a team setting than track can be.
GS: What's your favorite distance to race?
SK: The 800-meter run is my favorite. I like it because there is some strategy in that it's a two-lap race. You have some room to play out how you want your race to go. Whoever shows up on that day is the best. I like the strategy part of it.
GS: What has been your proudest moment in your athletic career so far?
SK: I think it would have to be making it to state for the first time in gymnastics because it was the first time in the history of our town that we made it there in the first place. It was the start of us becoming a powerhouse program, and it was really cool to be part of making history like that.
GS: Do you have any pre-race routines or superstitions?
SK: I have this weird superstition where I have to wear a pink ponytail, but that's about it.
GS: Do you have any siblings?
SK: I have an older sister named Steph who is a senior in college, and she goes to the University of St. Thomas. She's on their track & field team and does long jump. My younger brother Drew is a freshman in high school.
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