Colonia's Shelby Piccinic is the HNT Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year
The competitions are mentally exhausting. Technique, like properly placing your toes, must be studied. And summer training is very much needed for a successful season.
No, cross country star Shelby Piccinic isn’t talking about running, rather her other endeavor in the fall — playing the bass clarinet in the Colonia High School marching band.
“I don’t think people realize this, but band is actually pretty hard,” she said. “You really have to put on a show. … If you’re not tired, you feel like, ‘Oh, I didn’t really put that much work into it.’”
READ: NORTH HUNTERDON'S ELLIE DIMARCELLO IS THE CN GIRLS XC RUNNER OF THE YEAR
Of course, Piccinic is better known for putting on shows during 3.1-mile races. The junior is the Home News Tribune Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year for the second straight season. In 2016, she became the first Colonia girl to win the Greater Middlesex Conference title (18:46.21 at Thompson Park) and the first boy or girl from Colonia to win a sectional title. In the North 2 Group III race at Greystone Park in Morris Plains, Piccinic set her PR by 15 seconds with a 18:32.73. (In 2015, she placed second and third in the two races.)
Other highlights include becoming the first Colonia runner to win the Shore Coaches Invitational in the Girls Varsity B race (19:17 at Holmdel Park), and winning the junior class race at the Bernie Magee Memorial (19:17 at Greystone Park).
In the final two championship races, she placed 17th in 19:19 at the Meet of Champions at Holmdel Park on Nov 19. (In 2015, she placed 18th in 19:12.) On Nov. 26 at the Nike Northeast Regional at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, New York, Piccinic placed 25th out of 229 in 19:28.4. (In 2015, she took 40th in 19:43.70.)
“She’s a true competitor,” Colonia cross country coach Michael Quick said. “I’ve coached many, many athletes over the years and she has that fire in her eyes. She wants to win. And she wants to always do her best from week to week, from meet to meet, from season to season. And that is something that she holds herself accountable for. … Once I met her as a freshman, I knew that there was something special about her. She always and every single day, wants to train harder to better herself. So that’s something that’s just from within her.”
Piccinic started running in elementary school. After her sophomore season, though, she’s taken a more high-tech and nuanced approach to her training. She got a Garmin watch that keeps all kinds of stats and splits. The aim is consistency. She’ll monitor dynamics such as pacing, stride length and steps per minute, as well as her heart rate.
Piccinic’s support system includes her mother Robyn, who was a competitive runner, and her father, John, who has competed in triathlons. (Her twin brother, John, is a swimmer for Colonia.) In summer workouts, she increased her mileage and added strength training.
“When we are at practice, she’s very bubbly,” Quick said. “She’s very energetic. And she’s a lot of fun to be around. But as soon as the workouts start, she becomes a competitor. And that vivacious, bubbly person turns into someone that is always constantly just striving for success. And you could tell when she’s running that she means business, and it’s interesting to see that kind of, I guess switch in personality, but that’s because she takes running very seriously and she wants to be the best person that she could be.”
That bubbliness helps in the marching band, which had a Looney Tunes theme this year. It might be unusual for such an elite athlete to devote time to another extracurricular activity during her season. But Piccinic played the bass clarinet since elementary school and enjoys the band’s atmosphere and the band director was accommodating. However, running comes first. That means missing occasional Friday night football games and Saturday band competitions before a big meet.
To keep up with the sheet music, Piccinic learned the band’s four marching songs during summer camp and practices on her own during the week. On Wednesday evenings, she’ll attend the band’s marching practice after cross country, staying till 9 p.m.
It’s also doubles as cross-training for running.
“I guess it’s good for my calves because I keep rolling my feet,” she said with a laugh. “I like it. It’s fun.”
Indeed, Piccinic said she'll get tired after marching, but “it’s kind of like a different feeling.” She explained running makes her more physically tired, while marching band is mentally tiring because she has to memorize the music and steps.
In the winter, she’ll continue with the marching band for Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day parades. However, she is not swimming for the school like in the two previous seasons to focus on her running. Last spring in outdoor track, Piccinic qualified for the Meet of Champions in the 1600 and 3200.
“I think about running a lot,” said Piccinic, who is drawing interest from NCAA Division I teams. “It really is a big part of my life and I love the sport. I think about anything that I could do to improve. It’s great to get out of school and head to the track or the hills and get ready for a workout. I really look forward to that.”
There’s another good aspect to her running.
“We can definitely tell she hasn’t peaked,” Quick said, “so there’s a lot more to come from Shelby.”
2016 ALL-GMC GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY SELECTIONS
As selected by the coaches
ALL-CONFERENCE
Shelby Piccinic, Colonia; Chelsea Stocki, East Brunswick; Julianne Ferraro, South Plainfield; Chantel Osley, South Brunswick; Kayla Rosario, Sayreville; Angela Cao, J.P. Stevens; Amanda Abair, Old Bridge; Nicole Fenske, South Brunswick; Jacqueline Broehl, East Brunswick; Natalie Ginez, South Brunswick; Rachel Wentnick, Metuchen.
Coach of the Year: Kelly Holleran, Metuchen
ALL-RED DIVISION
Nikhila Obbineni, South Brunswick; Emily Hernandez, East Brunswick; Sophia Milla, South Brunswick; Rebecca Hartman, South Brunswick; Olivia Hernandez, East Brunswick; Riley Elia, South Brunswick; Gina Somma, Old Bridge; Cynthia Boryeskne-Diaz, Edison; Meghan Mcspiritt, East Brunswick; Allie Hussey, Old Bridge; Marissa Kowal, East Brunswick.
Coach of the Year: Michael Talbot, East Brunswick
Sportsmanship: J.P. Stevens
ALL-WHITE DIVISION
Nina Suss, Metuchen; Cassandra Raia, Spotswood; Aaliyah Dean, Perth Amboy; Nina Acosta, Bishop Ahr; Katherine Parlitsis, Spotswood; Camille Lussier, Metuchen; Emma Capron, Metuchen; Gabi Stankosh, Bishop Ahr; Elizabeth Lawson, Metuchen; Jessica Addesso, Spotswood; Jada Quiles, Perth Amboy.
Coach of the Year: Kelly Holleran, Metuchen
Sportsmanship: Colonia
ALL-BLUE DIVISION
Kayla Roig, Highland Park; Anelle Mouton, Dunellen; Josie Basch, Middlesex; Briana Costa, South River; Daniela Terralhiero, South River; Kayla Arce, East Brunswick Tech; Angelina Li, Highland Park; Cassandra Carr, East Brunswick Tech; Arianna Costa, South River; Amber Woll, Dunellen; Kim Hoang, Dunellen.
Coach of the Year: Coach Krueger, South River
Sportsmanship: Middlesex
