Above: Will Reemtsma dusts the competition. Photo courtesy of Sydnee Horstman.

On your mark…get set…boom!!! He’s out of the blocks, around the curve, through the backstretch, onto the last 200 meters, pushing down the final stretch and across the line…your 400-meter hurdles National Champion from St. Ambrose… William Reemtsma!

In his last year at St. Ambrose, Will Reesmtsma is hoping to do what so few have done competing at the NAIA level in track and field: winning his third consecutive National Championship in the 400-meter hurdles.

During his time at St. Ambrose, Reemtsma has been named a four-time All-American, winning two national championships both in the 400-meter hurdles, crowned conference MVP three times, won many All-Conference awards and has been named athlete of the week on multiple occasions.

Reemtsma also holds the school record in the 60-meter hurdles, 300-meter, 600-meter, distance medley relay, 110-meter hurdles, and the 400-meter hurdles.

Although Reemtsma has already accomplished a lot during his time here at St. Ambrose, he is still on the hunt for more. He wants to finish his career as a three-time national champion in the 400-meter hurdles, break the National record in the 400-meter hurdles, break the 400-meter school record, and qualify for the Olympic trials.

SAU Track and Field Hurdler coach, Shannon Turczyn says, “In his pursuit to leave his mark on Ambrose and NAIA’s track and field history, coaching Will in the hurdles has been both the most challenging and rewarding experience.

“It has been a privilege to coach an athlete who recognizes his talent and actively pursues his dreams both through his training and increasing his knowledge of the sport. This means that as his coach, I’ve had to push myself and continuously make changes that align with and aid in him reaching his goals. I will forever be grateful that Will chose St. Ambrose and that I played a small part in a student-athlete flourishing both on and off the track.”

When asked how Reemtsma prepares for the season or meets he says, “I created a routine of discipline. I altered my lifestyle to become more healthy in my daily habits. I do something every day to get better. I prioritized sleep. I make sure to complete every practice including lifting and running.

“I made sure to get better every day so that each year I would evolve into a better athlete. I write contracts for myself and make promises to myself so I can provide a structure that others may not provide for me. An example would be doing 100 push-ups and 5 minutes of core every weekday since August of 2023. I haven’t missed a day.”

SAU Track and Field Head Coach, Tyler Mulder says, “Working with Will was easy because he understands drills, preparation, and cool down when practicing and completing. He is very highly motivated so you don’t pull a lot out of him, his mindset that he has is that he wants to win so he does every little thing he can. With this being his last year he is trying to cross off the last of his goals before his collegiate career ends.”

SAU Business and Marketing major and senior, Ben Wilson says, “Training with Will has allowed us to push each other at practice and make ourselves better. We have been competing against each other for 8 years and training with each other for 5. We have grown a strong relationship and friendship with each other that allows us to push each other on the track and in the weight room with our passion for track and field.”

When Reemtsma was asked to talk about his fears he said there is only one and that is letting himself down, “At this level, you have to do it for yourself. It is too easy to justify if you have done enough if you are doing it for other people. 100% accountable for my actions. You get what you give.”

When asked if he feels that there is any pressure on him he says, “Yes. you have to feel pressure to become better. You can rise above some of it in crucial moments to avoid overthinking but you must continue to apply pressure to become better. If you don’t feel the need to get better, you will become lazy and satisfied, resulting in a life of wasted potential.

At this level, you can never be comfortable. Satisfaction is great, but you can only allow yourself to be satisfied for a short time, perhaps after a big win, or at the end of the season when you reflect on how you became better. After that, you must start creating new goals and making sure you are always searching for what is going to get you to the next level. Track is great because as soon as a performance is done, you immediately know what you can fix. Perfection is a goal, not a destination.”

After his collegiate career is over, Reemtsma talked about his future in track and field and that he would love to compete internationally and seek world championships to prepare himself for his ultimate goal, to medal at the 2028 Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles in Los Angeles, California.

Kyle Uhl is a staff writer for The Buzz.