PERHAM, Minn. -- Jake Januszewski stepped to the starting line at the Class 1A, Section 6 track and field championships.
He was completely calm.
The Perham senior, who finished third at this year's Minnesota state Class 1A cross country meet, was confident he could take the section
3,200-meter title -- and he did.
It wasn't always the case.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Last year (before a race), I was like, 'I've got to do this, I've got to do this,'" Januszewski said. "Now I go in with the attitude like it's going to happen for me."
Yellowjackets coach Mike Peterson remembers Januszewski's race-day anxiety well.
"He had a way of running and if it didn't go his way, it wasn't good," Peterson said. "Now he's able to cope with whatever race situation is there."
Januszewski's emergence came with a change in attitude.
Although always competitive, Januszewski never believed he could beat the best in the section.
"I always used to look at those guys as better than me," Januszewski said. "Than I realized I could be up there, too."
Things turned around after the cross country season.
Along with much-needed endurance, Januszewski gained the confidence needed to become one of the section's elite.
ADVERTISEMENT
"It was really fun," Januszewski said of cross country. "I always got to run against some really stiff competition. I was always running with the top guys."
Januszewski parlayed his newfound confidence into section 1,600 and 3,200 titles and his first trip to the state meet, scheduled for June 7-8 at the National Sports Center in Blaine.
Januszewski is seeded near the bottom of both 16-person events. But the seeds don't tell the whole story.
Januszewski didn't just compete against the other runners at the section meet. He had to battle a stiff, 30 mile-per-hour wind, which greatly inflated his times.
"It's the best thing that ever happened to him," Peterson said. "It's a good situation for him.
"He could surprise a lot of people. There is nobody down there he hasn't seen or run against. There is nothing they can show him that he hasn't already seen."
Januszewski feels a top six finish isn't out of the question.
"If it's a nice day, I should be able to drop 10 seconds in the mile and close to 30 seconds in the two mile.
ADVERTISEMENT
"That should be enough to get me a medal."
Readers can reach Forum reporter Heath Hotzler at (701) 241-5562
