Wiedeburg will run for UNK

Recent Sidney High School graduate Jachob Wiedeburg was invited by University of Nebraska at Kearney head cross country coach Brady Bonsall to run for the Lopers.

Wiedeburg is a three-time state qualifier in cross country and twice made state track at 1,600 meters. This past season, Wiedeburg medaled in sixth at state in the mile. He also ran the lead leg of the 4x800-meter relay team which earned a silver medal. Of course, he was also an integral part of the 2015 Red Raiders boys' squad that won the Class B state track championship.

While Wiedeburg had already planned on attending UNK, it was his original intention to try and make the Lopers cross country team as a walk on. Last week, however, Wiedeburg and Bonsall crossed paths at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes cross country camp in Scottsbluff.

"I emailed (Bonsall) before the FCA camp and asked him if we could talk. I wanted to know what he thought about my intentions," Weideburg said. "I told him I wanted to try and make the team as a walk on. The day after we spoke at the camp, he invited me to join the team."

While high school cross country runners are used to going a distance of 5 kilometers, most college events are at the 8-10K distance. Bonsall has given Wiedeburg a training schedule that will help him build up to the longer distances.

"He wants me to the point where I'm running about 50 miles a week, and right now I'm at about 36," Wiedeburg said. "The coach tailors each person's training schedule according to what he feels the runner needs. The whole team is training all summer and we all have our own unique training schedule."

While it was Wiedeburg who requested the meeting with Bonsall in Scottsbluff, the coach had already been long familiar with his career at Sidney.

"(Bonsall) said that he'd been keeping tabs on me for a few years and that he'd seen me run at some cross country meets," Wiedeburg said. "He knew that I was an OK runner and that I had a strong work ethic. He said he could tell that by watching me run."

While Wiedeburg is not receiving an athletic scholarship at this point, that could be a future possibility. However, as a strong student who was a fixture on the honor roll list at SHS and a member of the National Honor Society, he already has secured some academic scholarships. Wiedeburg was also involved with the student council as the 2015 class treasurer, the S Club and Future Business Leaders of America.

Though he has not declared a major yet, Wiedeburg is leaning toward a career related to physical therapy or sports medicine.

"I wasn't expecting anything when I asked to meet with him in Scottsbluff," Wiedeburg said. "So I was really happy when he asked me to join the team. It was a huge weight off my shoulders. To be able to run in college is a dream come true."