Stoneham High School Runner Participates in Massachusetts First Steeple Chase

senior Brett Kotowski participated in the Steeple Chase at Regis College over the weekend which was the first event in Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association (MSTCA) Twilight meet.

The Steeple Chase is an event that requires the runner to jump over five steeples and a water pit for a course of five laps around the track. The steeples are solid, dense, wide hurdles—two in the first 100 meters and one in the second 100 meters. The fourth steeple located in the third 100 meters also contains the water pit. The final steeple was on the last 100 meter straight-away.

Kotowski was selected by his coaches to run the race because it was a meet in he needed to be a state qualifier.

“I am a distance runner and I participate in the mile, two mile, 800m races and unfortunately I did not meet the standards for any of those races,” Kotowski said. “My coach came to me and asked me if I would like to participate in the Steeple Chase and I answered ‘yes,’ even though I had no idea what the Steeple Chase was.”

Kotowski said the race would definitely go down as one of the most memorable experiences of his life.

“I originally had no idea of the significance of this until after the race,” Kotowski said. “I can say that I felt very fortunate to be able to participate in something as historic as this in the state of Massachusetts. I will never forget that I was one of the 13 individuals to be the first to run the Steeple Chase in my home state.”

The event was special because it was an event that was like no other event in the sport of track and field because of the large hurdles that the participants had to jump over as well as the fact that there was a man-made water pit built into the course, according to Kotowski.