Passionate Rodriguez proves anything is possible

Erik Rodriguez did not come to Wheeling with big plans of adding to the school's rich cross country tradition.

In fact, Rodriguez came to Wheeling with no background at all in organized athletics. Then he decided to join his friend David Onate and come out for track the spring of his freshman year.

Rodriguez not-so-quickly found out his future wasn't in the sprints. But he didn't run away and hide from the prospect of longer-distance races.

"That's where I found my passion," the soft-spoken Rodriguez said.

And at 2 p.m. Saturday at Detweiller Park in Peoria, the Wheeling senior will find himself starting to restore the school's boys cross country tradition in the Class 3A state meet.

"He's a model of what you want to see," said Wheeling coach Tom Polak of the program's first state qualifier since the 2002 team led by Fernando Carrillo and Mike Burke finished sixth in Class AA. "He reminds me a lot of John Kronforst (21st at state in 1996). He's not the most talented kid, but he's willing to work and do all the things you need him to do.

"He's accomplished everything he's set out to do and that's what you want in a kid."

Rodriguez finished 11th in the Mid-Suburban League meet to become Wheeling's first all-conference runner in four years.

His 19th-place finish in 15:39 at the rugged Schaumburg sectional gave him the final individual qualifying spot for the state meet.

"It didn't really sink in until the second or third day," Rodriguez said. "After it did it was a great feeling.

"I was proud of what I did and proud I got coach a taste of going once again."

So tonight Rodriguez and Polak will indulge in a Wheeling pre-meet tradition of an Italian dinner at Agatucci's restaurant in Peoria.

Not exactly the type of weekend Rodriguez envisioned just a few years ago.

A number of moves growing up included going from St. Louis to Holmes Junior High in Mount Prospect. The extent of his athletic endeavors were usually running, biking or rollerblading to the park with his mom and brothers.

"I wanted to do sports," Rodriguez said, "but I was too shy and never really had the courage to go out."

He gave track a shot, but there wasn't a market for 36-second 200-meter runners. But while Onate, still one of his biggest supporters, quit halfway through their freshman season, Rodriguez stayed with it and reduced his 1,600 time by a minute to 5:30.

"That was the biggest indicator of the kind of character this kid has," Polak said. "He saw what these guys were doing and wanted to be a part of it."

Rodriguez ran 500 miles the summer before his first cross country season in hopes of making the team's top five.

He was Wheeling's No. 3 runner at the sectional.

"I really got attracted to running and liked it a lot," Rodriguez said. "When I started training with the varsity that gave me a lot of courage."

Rodriguez kept improving and learning the intricacies of the sport, but there were still adjustments such as running without teammates for the first time at last year's sectional.

This year he's found the balance of running for team and individual success.

"Now he's matured enough when he steps to the line," Polak said, "he's able to run for Wheeling High School and for Erik Rodriguez."

His primary preseason goal was achieving the all-MSL status (top 25) he missed by two spots as a junior. That changed when he ran a personal-best 15:19 in the 54th annual Peoria Invitational a month ago at Detweiller.

Now the National Honor Society member with a 4.83 grade point average has aspirations of running in college while studying mechanical engineering.

Not to mention the hopes of claiming a top-25 state medal, which Polak said would probably require Rodriguez dropping nearly 20 seconds.

But a meeting last month, and another expected one today with three-time Wheeling state champion and Olympian Jorge Torres, who is speaking at a Peoria running store, has been a big inspiration to Rodriguez.

"Anything can happen at state," Rodriguez said. "I feel confident and a little stronger than I've been the last couple of weeks."

Rodriguez's path to Peoria is already proof anything is possible.