Name: Nick Rozakos
High school: T.L. Hanna
Event PRs: 58.5 (400mh), 52.3 (400m)
Hobbies: hunting, wakeboarding
What was your most memorable race/competition?
My first 4x400m as a senior which turned out to be my last. I made a comeback to win the race as anchor leg.
How have you handled the suspension of the 2020 outdoor season?
I've taken it pretty hard because I'm confident I could've done some really special things this year. My teammates also. I keep reminding myself that it's not just me that lost my senior year and that there are hundreds of thousands of kids across the country in the same position as me.
Out of all your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
It's not so much an accomplishment but it's something that meant a lot to me. Being referred to as one of the leaders by the head coach meant a lot because I remember being an eighth grader and looking up to those leaders.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change about your athletic career in high school?
I would realize my potential from the beginning and take the training a lot more seriously. I would also listen to my coaches a lot more.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
Plateauing at different times during the season and just having to push harder to get over that hump. I also got injured at the end of the 2019 season and missed most of the summer club track season.
What will you miss the most?
The feeling that I got every time I stepped on the track. Even if it was just practice, that feeling of calmness and being able to forget about anything going on outside of the track.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
Don't take any practice or workout for granted because you never know when it might be your last one.
How have your coaches influenced your performances and your life goals?
All of my coaches have influenced how I perform as an athlete but also how I carry myself off the track. All my coaches made sure we held a high standard since we are representing T.L. Hanna.
What kind of impact did your family have on your time as a high school student-athlete?
They had a major impact by forcing me to do certain things that I might not have wanted to do but in the end their decisions led me to this point whether I enjoyed the process or not.
What are your college or post-high school plans?
I will be attending the Bridge program at Clemson University and I might try to walk on their track and field team my sophomore year.
What do you hope to achieve after high school?
I hope to find what I want to do with the rest of my life and have it be something that I enjoy.
Do you see yourself coaching in the future? Please explain and if so, what level and why?
No, I can't see myself coaching.
Shout-outs?
All of my coaches and every single one of my teammates and also my family.
If there is one thing in the world you could do, what would it be and why?
Keep the virus from happening so that all of the seniors could get their chance to be great and for the world to turn back to normality.
