Randi Overkamp '18 Recruiting Profile

Hi! I’m Randi Overkamp and I am a driven, hardworking athlete. I am a team player, coachable and listen carefully to my coach’s instructions. When I’m at meets and one of my events didn’t go as well as I hoped it would, I motivate myself to come back 10 times stronger for my next event. My goal is to advance my athletics abilities to the collegiate level. I have always had a competitive edge for track and am very interested in competing in multi-events at the college level.  In June 2017, I've just begun participating in the heptathlon and am loving it.  Medalling at my first meet, which included the best from several states was a real thrill for me.  Several of the heptathlon events are completely new to me, so I feel I have a lot of potential for improvement.

Growing up, April-August was track season; September-December was cross country, and the remaining three months were spent doing off-season training. I participated in both USATF and the AAU track and field programs.  I ran for my local team, Blue Thunder Track Club and also for several years with Brocaw Blazers Cross Country Team. I spent countless summers devoted to track and field, competing in the long jump, triple jump, 400m, the 4x400 relay, and occasionally the 800m and 4x800m. In 8th grade after seven years of intense training, I heavily considered quitting track. My body was tired and needed a break, so I decided to try out for my school’s volleyball team instead of running cross country that fall. Then the following spring, I chose to just do school track instead of Blue Thunder. But I decided I wasn’t ready to hang up my track spikes, so my freshman year I ran for my school’s track team. Later that year I competed at the State meet for long jump, and along the way achieved a personal best at each step (districts, sectionals and finally state). This, in addition to my grand total of qualifying for nine national meets, proves that I can remain calm during stressful situations and compete at the level I need to in order to make the cut.

Making the decision to continue my story on the track was the best decision I have ever made. I almost let my love for the sport slip out of my hands. I love that track is such an individual based sport, because when I’m in the blocks on the starting line or at the end of the jumps runway nothing else matters. It’s just me against the clock or me vs. the measuring tape. Most people hate running the 400 because it’s a difficult race to run, but that’s why I’m drawn to it. I love being challenged and being put to the test. I love the adrenaline rush I get when the gun goes off, because I know that it’s my time to earn what I worked so hard for.

Over the past couple of years I have had to learn how to balance school, sports and a social life. Balancing these three things has been challenging especially being a multi-sport athlete. I have continued to play volleyball, so there is never a time of year I am not going to workouts, practices, tournaments or meets. And with academics always being my first priority, I currently have a 3.74 GPA while taking multiple honors classes and going beyond the requirements by doubling up on science classes and being two years ahead of my class in math. My love for these subjects motivates me to maintain my GPA, and ultimately I hope to attend dental school. With the limited time I have outside of school and sports I participate in a Christian organization named YoungLife. Two summers ago I worked hard to earn money to go to a YoungLife camp named SharpTop Cove. Being able to set aside time in my week for my faith and to have fun with my friends and YoungLife leaders is something that is really important to me.

As you can see, I have a proven record of success on and off the field. I believe if you give me a look you won’t be disappointed and you just might be surprised.

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