Q-and-A with Dan Popek, Minooka track and field
April 26, 2012 6:28PM
Dan Popek, Minooka boys track.
Updated: May 28, 2012 9:05AM
Popek ran on the Class 3A state champion 3,200-meter relay last year and runs the open 800 meters. He will attend Augustana College in the fall.
Why Augustana?
I like the biology field there. It’s very good. And they have a really good track team and a great coach (Paul Olsen). A lot of people talk about how great he is as a coach. That was a big part of it.
Describe winning a relay state title.
It was like four best friends running a race together. It’s great to have it to think about as an accomplishment. I’ll never forget that. It was just great that we were all really good friends and had great chemistry.
How is the 3,200 relay this year?
I’m running anchor a lot more often. I think we can repeat still. We’ve just got to get everyone healthy and get everyone to do good at the right time.
What’s your best event?
The 800 probably. I used to do sprints in junior high and moved up to longer distances. I also do cross country, so the 800 is like a middle ground for me. My best open time is 1:57 at Schaumburg.
What are your individual goals?
In the 800, I want to get to 1:53, around that time, by the end of the year.
What got you interested in track?
When I played soccer and baseball when I was younger I realized I was fast.
What are your interests outside of track?
I like reading. I like Sherlock Holmes. I started reading some of that, the series. It’s just written well and a lot of interesting facts.
Who would play you in the movie of your life?
I’ll say Tom Hanks. He’s just a great overall actor. He seems like a decent guy in real life.
What will you remember most about your years at Minooka?
Definitely the state championship, that and all the friends I had that I want to keep close.
As told to Tim Tierney
