My name is Michael "Otto" Von Borstel and I graduated from Carl Sandburg in 2012 and am currently a Junior at Carthage College majoring in Athletic Training and Psych. I'm the captain on the cross country and track team here and we have had a very successful program that I have been lucky to be a part of.
In 2013 cross country we finished 4th at conference and I was named CCIW All-Conference awards followed by a 56th place at Regionals. In the 2014 track season we got 2nd place as a team at indoor conference where I placed 8th in the 5k and was named an Indoor CCIW-All Confence athlete. We then followed it up with a huge 8th place team finish at indoor nationals last year. For outdoor track we finished 2nd place as well at conference and I placed 7th in the 5k giving me Outdoor CCIW All-Conference honors.
So far this Cross Country season has been very interesting. We got a new coach two weeks before the season began and that was a roller coaster of emotions and hassle trying to keep the transition smooth for the team. However, Coach Henry has been a very positive and successful coach for the Redmen this year, and we are lucky to have him. His coaching has helped to lead nearly everyone on the team to life time PRs from the first to last guy, helped me to break the school record with a 24:27 8k finish at the Pre-Nationals course, and has given me confidence to constantly toe the line and run down All American Runners at each race.
My short and long term goals for the rest of my career here is to qualify for this upcoming nationals by grabbing an individual bid at Cross Country Regionals and then break the 3k, indoor and outdoor 5k, and 10k records at Carthage as well as earn All American honors at some point here before I finish. I know without a doubt that I would not have had the success or passion that I have for running if I had not started my career out at Sandburg; Coach O'Malley, Tarjan, Jonaitis, Struck, and Novak have all helped to shape me into the runner I am today and I can not thank them enough for that gift.