Schwartz preparing himself for running at Division I level

Jackson Schwartz of Jefferson City approaches the finish line in the Class 4 boys state cross country championships earlier this month at the Oak Hills Golf Center.
Jackson Schwartz of Jefferson City approaches the finish line in the Class 4 boys state cross country championships earlier this month at the Oak Hills Golf Center.

Some choices are difficult. Some are easy.

Where to attend college was an easy decision for Jefferson City senior Jackson Schwartz.

"I didn't have a real tough decision to make," he said. "I always wanted Tulsa from the minute I stepped on campus."

On Tuesday, Schwartz made it official by signing his letter of intent to run cross country and track at Tulsa.

Schwartz said he has an aunt who went to Tulsa as a pre-med student, so he figured it might be the place for him as well.

"I emailed their coach, coach (Steve) Gulley, and he really liked me and I really liked him," Schwartz said. "We just kind of hit it off. Now I'm committed and that's just great."

Now that the easy part is done, the work begins.

Schwartz is fresh off an 11th-place finish in the Class 4 state cross country championships, earning his first state medal.

He'll hope to add a second state track medal in the spring after taking second in the 4x800-meter relay at last year's Class 5 state track and field championships.

His split time was 1:58.29, and he wants to shave a few seconds off that before he heads to college.

"I really want to get down there to the 1:55 range for 800 meters," Schwartz said. "And I just need to stick to my speed training, my stretching and I know I can do that. Once I can get down to that elite speed, I think that I can really propel myself out to be a successful Division I runner."

Track will be his main focus to start, specifically the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

"I'll probably redshirt my freshman cross country season and really hit the track hard in the spring, and try and go out there and run the 3,000-meter steeplechase up there with all-conference times, probably," Schwartz said. "I'm really hoping to really come out off the bat freshman year and run some stellar times because I think I'm capable of it."

Schwartz said he's been able to run the obstacle race in AAU events, and has had some success.

"I think that I have the proper running form for it and I think it will be my main success in college," he said.

Schwartz will have plenty of competition during his four-year career. Tulsa had the top two steeplechase finishers at last year's American Athletic Conference championships. They were both freshmen.

"I'm just looking to bring out the best of my abilities," Schwartz said. "I know that the competition is going to be tough. I'm not going to be the best guy, but I'm a little thrilled to do that because I have been at the top a little bit in my competition in high school. I'm just looking to go out there and get some great competition, some great training and really bring out the best of my abilities."

There's no limit to where Schwartz thinks his abilities can take him.

"This is going to sound outrageous, but I want to be an all-American in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in one of my four years," Schwartz said. " I think with the right training and the right coaching, which I'll have at the University of Tulsa, I can push myself to it."