Athlete Profile: Colton Rohr

OCONTO FALLS — In some high school sports, senior seasons are sometimes the best chance for an athlete or team to make deep postseason runs. For weight throwers in track and field, that’s the case for a lot of athletes, and Oconto Falls High School’s Colton Rohr was hoping that was the case for him.

The senior, who specialized in discus, was preparing to make a run to state this spring, but the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated that thought.

Rohr, who tore the ACL and menisci in both his knees during his time in high school, made it to sectionals in discus as a junior, placing seventh. He qualified for sectionals after taking fourth at the Oconto Falls regional.

Q: When did your interest in track and field begin?

A: My interest started in probably the seventh grade. I started off with football coming in to sixth and seventh grade, and then I did basketball. Then I learned about track and field and fell in love after that.

Q: What is your favorite part about the season?

A: Definitely competing in discus toward the end of the year, whenever the big meets came up.

Q: What did track and field teach you over the years?

A: It definitely taught me patience, of being able to learn and master the art of competing in the thing you do. Like discus, you got to learn patience of the spin. It took a lot of patience and learning not to rush things and get each step done correctly.

Q: Talk about your emotions when the season was officially canceled.

A: I pretty much felt shocked. I didn’t really believe it. I was told, “Oh, you’ll be back in a couple weeks, no problem.” And then finally the WIAA came out and said, “Yup, no. Cancel everything.”

I didn’t believe it at first. But after a couple weeks, it’s kind of sunk in, and I realized everything I worked for is kind of gone. But in the end, I realized you just got to get over it and find something else to do with my time, like work or hang out with friends — anything to get my mind off of it.

Q: Is it maybe more disappointing to not get a season because you were a senior?

A: Yeah, it’s extremely disappointing because I believe this would have been my state run (in discus). Last year, I ended up taking seventh at our sectional meet — which to me, I thought was amazing after the past two years before that of how hard of a time I had with having two knee surgeries and finally working my way back up. This year all the seniors (from the sectional meet) graduated, and I had a straight run for state. So it hurts a lot missing out on that.

Q: Did you have any specific goals or memories you wanted to achieve or make this spring?

A: Making it to state was definitely on the top of my list. I just wanted to make it on to the podium; that would have been amazing.

Q: Have you started any new hobbies since the start of the quarantine?

A: I started working again, and then I actually picked up fishing because I thought, “Well, that’s still free to do.” So I started fishing, started going on hikes and pretty much just spending a lot more time outside.

Q: What’s your favorite memory of competing on the Oconto Falls track and field team?

A: One of my favorite memories has to be in Wrightstown during I believe a 4x4 relay. One of my buddies was the anchor, and he came running around the corner and his shorts were ripped apart. Well, let’s just say you could see a little bit more than you wanted to.

Q: Favorite TV show, movie and musical artist?

A: TV show — “Limitless.” Movie — I’ve seen so many over this quarantine. I’d probably have to say “Deadpool,” the first one. Musical artist — Mark Dohner. He’s a good artist.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do when you are not in school or competing in sports?

A: Favorite thing to do has to be hanging out with my friends, just driving around town, hanging out, going swimming.

AT A GLANCE

Athlete: Colton Rohr

Sport: Track and field

Events: Discus, high jump, shot put

School: Oconto Falls High School

Year: Senior