Want To Be Our Next Senior Salute? Find Out How!
Name: Taylor Rohatinsky
School: Lone Peak
What was your most memorable race/throw/jump/vault/moment?
- This past March I raced at the pine view invitation in St. George. I had never led a race before, being scared to do so. But knew I needed to take it from the gun if I wanted these times goals. I had never broken the 5-minute barrier in the 1600m up to this point and was really wanting to do so. I took the race from the gun as my coach wanted me to and didn't look back. Coming around the 400 I noticed there was no clock anywhere along with my coaches not telling me my splits as they usually do. I was nervous thinking I fell off pace and kept pushing. I finished the race thinking I had missed my goal of breaking 5 minutes. I walked onto the infield to greet my coach. With a smile he held up his stopwatch with the time reading 4:48. I was shocked, exhausted, and so happy. I felt like my efforts had finally shown on the track, and everyone was just as happy for me as I was. Including my future coach at BYU, coach Taylor, and the team face timing me within minutes of the race to congratulate me. I have since run faster, but that race will still be such a fun memory for me. With trusting my ability to lead, my training, and my coaches it opened up the rest of my season with that same energy.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
- In this last year and a half of running many girls and boys on my Lone Peak xc/track team pushed me in every workout. The competition changed race to race but there were so many fast girls that helped me get there from Utah and many other states!
What was your greatest accomplishment?
-Getting the opportunity to race at Brooks pr was a huge goal for me this season, even though I was a little off my time goals for the race, I'm so happy I got to go and race:)
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
-I think the timing worked out well for me in this sport, but I do wonder lots of times what opportunities and achievements I could've gotten if I had started to run earlier than I did.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
-Breaking my back junior track season after just committing to the sport was really hard and long wait for me. As well as learning to try and handle the pressure whether that was placed on me by others or just myself.
What will you miss the most?
-I will miss running with my Lone Peak team every day, it's a really special group of kids that made running really fun. I really love the workouts and racing as much as they hurt I will miss those with my coaches/team as well.
What advice would you give to younger athletes?
Have fun with the sport and find your own goals and stay loyal to them. Find the right balance with everything in your life as well.
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
I don't think words can accurately describe the effect my coaches have had on my life. I'm so lucky I got to have them as my coaches and get to have the relationship with them that I do. I wouldn't have the love for the sport that I do without them and would not be to this point of my life without them either. Very very grateful.
What are your college plans?
-I will be continuing to run xc and track at BYU this fall for Coach Taylor and am SO EXCITED!
Who would you like to say thank you to?
-My COACHES, my teammates, my friends I have made through running, my parents, my family, my friends, and my neighbors!
