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06/25/2024 11:17 AMConor Rourke is more driven by the process that leads to hitting the best mark. And it was that mentality that allowed him to tackle any literal or figurative hurdle with the greatest swiftness and tenacity while having a career send-off season.
The North Haven boys’ outdoor track team senior hurdler and captain grew up playing on the hardwood with basketball all through elementary school and middle school. He was then brought into track by his older brothers, and he never stopped from there in following his family legacy.
On an individual level, Conor went unbeaten in the regular season in both the 110m and the 300m hurdles. He medaled in the 110m hurdles at the SCC Western Sectional Championships by finishing third and then sixth for that same event at the SCC Championship with a personal-best time of 15.8 seconds.
“I just fell in love with the process of what it takes to get better in track. It is very speed reliant, and it is hard to train fast twitch muscles. It takes more power and force in your legs,” says Conor. “One word I can use to describe this year is motivational. Our guys were tight-knit, and we were able to have that camaraderie. The closeness allowed us to compete hard and fast because we cared for each other so much. The SCC meet meant a lot to me because I was dealing with a foot injury. I stuck it out, and seeing the best competition in the state pushed me to do well in the prelim runs and then later the finals.”
Conor had a terrific template of leadership right at his fingertips within his bloodline. Yet he did not simply rest on his siblings’ examples, as he took it upon himself to get his teammates readily involved during the offseason.
“I wanted the captain’s spot because I saw how influential my brothers were for me as my captains when I was younger,” Conor says. “I went to get hurdle work in during the offseason, and I asked the hurdle guys if they wanted to join me. We all grew from that extra work and became supportive of each other.”
Nerves, anxieties, and emotions used to be at an all-time high when Conor first lined up in the starting blocks. Still, he persisted, grinded, and gutted out the tough tasks and assumed more confidence in the process while gaining through pain.
“As an underclassman, I would get so nervous before every race. My heart would race, and it would lead to me not getting great times,” says Conor. “Yet I become more confident in my abilities, which I did through going through tough races and pushing through. I also learned to not care who is watching you out there. I have this tradition before each race where I tell myself to run like it will be my last race and do my best.”
North Haven boys’ outdoor track Head Coach Marc Celmer explains that Conor’s seemingly unblemished campaign came simply from his dedication to fine tuning every aspect of his game to perfection. His abilities and accolades helped raise the overall success of the team by striving everyone to be on his tier of tenacity.
“I have had the honor to coach Conor for a number of years. In my opinion, no student-athlete has ever worked harder to master their skill,” says Celmer. “Conor through his hard work and dedication produced literally a perfect season. Because of Conor’s dedication and leadership, the team went an awesome 11-0. Conor has set a standard of excellence in the hurdles and on the track team that will have a positive impact well into the future.”
In the preseason, the Nighthawks did not have the composition of an undefeated team with several question marks due to multiple newcomers moving into the fold. But once everyone found their footing and their forte, the Nighthawks were on a lightning fast track to prominence.
“We started the year unsure of where the guys would go because we had so many first-year seniors,” Conor says. “Yet after seeing the skill sets of everyone, we were able to field one of the best teams we have ever had. I also think that camaraderie helped us be so successful.”
Moving forward, Conor will continue to hurdle collegiately by committing to track at Springfield College. As he looks to break down new time barriers, he is also dead set on becoming an iron man and mogul in sports media.
“I am grateful to be in a position to continue my track career. In college, I want to get my 110 time under 14 seconds and then also get under 40 seconds for the 300 hurdles,” says Conor. “I know that with excellent coaching at Springfield, I can do it. I am going for a major in communication and also sports journalism. I want to just be someone who churns out either articles or podcasts, and the ultimate goal is to be at ESPN.”
But before he does that, he leaves some parting words on what the last four years meant to him. While growing a deep and great affinity for his coaches, he expresses great gratitude for the faith they had in him to do just about anything.
“My time at North Haven was a fantastic four years. I had great mentors in my coaches,” says Conor. “Coach Celmer is one of my favorite humans on this planet, and he always trusted me to do anything. The last four years at North Haven is an experience I will always cherish.”