Middletown North Sprinter Rett Schnoor
Already Comfortable on the Track
10 MAY 2021 | TheJournalNJ.com
BY TIM MORRIS
In rediscovering her passion
-
town High School North
sprinter Rett Schnoor discovered
just how fast she is – fast
enough in 2021 to be the best
indoor 55-meter dash runner in
the Shore Conference.
Before transferring to
North from Middletown South
last year, Schnoor was focused
on soccer where her speed
-
isher, playing forward and out-
“I played up front where
I provided quick speed and a
burst of energy,” said Schnoor.
Schnoor’s speed was not
coaches who encouraged her
to give the sport a try. She decided
to give it a go, remembering
that she was a sprinter
on her middle school team in
the Bayshore and really like the
sport at the time.
“I found that I loved track,” said Schnoor. “Track stole my heart. I am
really competitive, and I like the competition and being a part of a team.”
Schnnoor’s competitiveness was on full display at the coaches meet
push through it. Her mindset was that she was there to win, and that is
exactly what she did. Now that
track has stolen her heart, all her
attention is on getting even faster
and proving her talent. North
sprint coach Ray Convey was not
surprised that Schnoor was able
to go from the soccer pitch to the
track so effortlessly.
“It was an easy transition,” he
pointed out. “She’s really a good
athlete. She’s smart, coachable,
and she has a very good work
ethic.”
Convey also said Schnoor has
“great acceleration” which all
sprinters require.
With all her success this indoor
season, winning the Shore
Coaches Championship (which
amounted to the Shore Conference
title) at the Bennett Indoor
Complex in Toms River, it’s easy
to forget how new the Lion is
to the sport. Her indoor season
last year was shortened by the
pandemic and the outdoor season
canceled.
“There’s still a lot for me
to learn,” she explained. “The
blocks are still a new thing
for me.”
Schnoor sprinted last winter
without the use of starting
blocks. Much of her work this
indoor season was getting comfortable
in the blocks and with
her start. What Schnoor has
learned is that sprinting is both
physical and mental.
“It’s all about staying calm,”
she pointed out.
Schnoor noted that she
each hand) to relax while she is
awaiting the start in the blocks to relax. The race itself is over in under
-
ers to “keep their form the entire way,” Schnoor noted.
On the back of her Lion track T-shirt, Schnoor has written the words,
what makes Schnoor a winner. Despite losing the spring season last year,
she was able to pick up and run so well this winter because she put in the
time on her own with workouts on the track when she could and lifting.
She was anything but idle. She also credits the Lion coaches for bringing
out the best in her. She likes to work, and they push her.
“They have been so very helpful,” she said. “They push me to
my limits.”
Now that she has established herself indoors (she was the top seed
at the coaches championships) Schnoor is really looking forward to the
outdoor track season where she will run the longer 100- and 200-me-
along the way.
“I’m excited to run the l00 and 200,” said Schnoor. “It takes a completely
different mindset. I’m ready to get started. I’ve been training
for them.”
The spring season will also see the Lion doing the long jump and, if
that goes well, trying the triple jump as well. There is a lot to look forward
/TheJournalNJ.com