Banaszak to compete in Australia in July

Sidney High School junior Michael Banaszak has been running track since he was in fifth grade.

"They had a little program, nothing big," Banaszak said. "There were only 10 people who did it. We only had one track meet for fifth and sixth grade and then I just picked it up in middle school."

Some of those kids may have just run recreationally to stay active during a busy school year. But for Banaszak, it was the start of a journey that would eventually elevate him to new heights during his high school career.

A few seasons and off-seasons of hard work later, Banaszak qualified for the NSAA Class B state meet as sophomore after an injury-plagued freshman season. Banaszak is a fierce competitor who credits his teammates for always pushing him to be the best he can be.

"I always find people to chase after," Banaszak said. "Last year it was Logan Lewis (a former Sidney great in track and field). I always strove to catch him and eventually pass him."

But qualifying for state was just the beginning.

Little did Banaszak know that he would be receiving international recognition in his sport – he was one of 300 athletes selected to compete for the United States national track and field team at the Down Under Track and Field Games held in Australia this July. Each U.S. state is allotted a certain number of athletes for each sport, depending on the state's population.

Put on by International Sports Specialists Inc., the annual Down Under Games combine some of the world's best high school athletes in a variety of sports including football, basketball, golf, cross country, track and field, volleyball and wrestling. The athletes must raise their own money to travel to Australia for a one-week period in mid-July to compete against each other in their own events.

The athletes are in Australia for nine days – two to compete and the other seven to explore all that the outback has to offer. To top everything off, the trip also comes with an optional three-day retreat to Hawaii.

Banaszak will be wearing "USA" on his chest, along with 299 other fellow American track and field stars. Banasak will be running his best events for Team USA – the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters. Once he arrives in Australia, the team's coaches will place him on relay teams, since he has experience running relays.

The chance to race against other top runners from around the world certainly provides a rush of excitement.

"I'm honored," Banaszak said. "It's a real confidence boost to be able to be recognized individually. I'm really excited about the level of competition I'll see."

But Banaszak also plans to take full advantage of his visits to both Australia and Hawaii – he's never been to either place.

"We'll be able to visit the Great Barrier Reef and maybe go skydiving on one of the days," Banaszak said. "They have zoos where you can hold koalas and pandas. I can't wait."

For the time being, Banaszak is focusing on preparing for his offseason conditioning regiment as well as his fundraising efforts for his special summer trip. He needs to raise $6,600 for the trip, not counting spending money. He and his family are in the process of sending out sponsorship letters to local businesses.

Banaszak – a Chicago native – said his grandmother in the Windy City will likely provide a bulk of the funds for the trip. When asked if he'll try to collect from anyone at Sidney High, he said, chuckling: "A few of my friends might pitch in."

During his offseason, Banaszak will have plenty of time to think about how he'll balance an important track season this spring on the Sidney team with looking forward to his opportunity in Australia is this summer.

"I'm excited (about the spring track season)" Banaszak said. "There will definitely be a lot of testing around with different things. I expect myself and my team to do really well this year. Track this year will be more like a practice and a test to see how much I've improved from last year."

But don't misinterpret the meaning of the word "practice" in Banaszak's context. He certainly won't be taking any time or effort off in the spring season in reservation for this summer – it just isn't in his nature.

"That isn't like me," Banaszak said. "I go as hard as I can and will work my butt off during the season. I won't be holding anything back."

When asked if Sidney head track coach John Ganser has given him any advice about his meet in Australia this summer, Banaszak said, again with a laugh: "I don't even think he knows."