Boys cross country: Niwot's Culpepper is the Longmont Times-Call runner of the year
Dec. 9—Though sometimes lost in how it's reported, high school distance running isn't all race-day times and podium poses. It's a grind, the reason why many runners and coaches will tell how important it is to have a fun personality around.
Niwot cross country coach Kelly Christensen said he feels fortunate that the star runner on his boys' team is also its emotional pulse. He called sophomore Rocco Culpepper, the Longmont Times-Call runner of the year, "one of the best leaders and most entertaining leaders I've ever had."
"Some things you can't teach and Rocco is just feisty," Christensen said. "The No. 1 athlete in the nation, (Utah's) Daniel Simmons ... that's all (Rocco) would do is call out, 'Daniel Simmons, I'm coming for you.'"
That's Rocco, son of Olympians Alan and Shayne Culpepper and the younger brother of former BoCoPreps.com runner of the year Cruz. He's fun, competitive, and his teammates and coaches eat it up.
"Put him on the court against LeBron James, he's probably going to think he can beat LeBron James in a game of basketball," Christensen cracked.
Rocco finished third behind two seniors at the 4A state championship in October, leading the Cougars to their first boys' team title since 2020.
His time of 15 minutes and 27.80 seconds at Colorado Springs' Norris Penrose Event Center was more than 30 seconds faster than his 10th-place run there as a freshman.
A month before that, he turned heads around the preps' national running scene when he finished second at the prestigious Desert Twilight Invite in Arizona, crossing in 15:11.10.
Not bad for a basketball player and skater who'd only taken up the sport two years ago.
"I think it started just being good and just that competitiveness," Rocco said. "(My family) is all very competitive and we like to win with whatever we're doing. That's what we naturally like to do."
After the high school season, the sophomore qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore. and finished 38th in 15:45.30. He finished third among the race's underclassmen. His team, which he prefers to chat about, took fifth.
"(He's) a joy to coach," Christensen said. His "leadership has been beyond what I would have expected."
