As far as a pure competitor, track and field coach Maurice Henriques said he would put Rocco Culpepper into his “top five” among all the athletes, All-Americans and Olympians (oh hey Elise Cranny!) he’s coached in his 15 years in charge at Niwot.
“He’s one of the kids you definitely want on your team,” he said of the Longmont Times-Call boys’ track and field athlete of the year. “He’s high energy. He runs with emotion.”
Many in the far and wide running community know Rocco as the son of U.S. Olympians Alan and Shayne Culpepper. Others as the brother of star runner Cruz Culpepper, the Niwot grad who now runs professionally.
Those closest to him on the track, meanwhile — his coaches, his teammates, and even some of his detractors — are often impelled by his fiery nature as a competitor.
Back in May, it’s what got the better of the then-sophomore, who Henriques said immediately admitted and owned up to an unsportsmanlike gesture following a race. The blip wouldn’t linger into his controlled performance at the state meet, winning three Class 4A golds and a bronze.
Culpepper grabbed the first two individual state titles of his high school career, winning the Class 4A 800-meter run and mile. He had another win in the 4×800, anchoring the relay to a 4A meet record. Though, it’s his third-place finish in the 4×400 that has Henriques setting the scene.
“He was coming up the backstretch and there was only 10 meters left, and he leaned and inched a guy out,” Henriques said. “And that was the difference for us in finishing runner-up.” Niwot and Montrose finished tied behind 4A-winner Northfield with 66 points.
Culpepper finished up his spring season a couple of weeks later, running the mile at the Music City Track Carnival in Tennessee. A personal-best time of 4:12.14 was good for third place at the national showcase and came five years to the day after his brother Cruz ran it there in in 4:04.82 ahead of his senior season at Niwot.
Cruz went on to join the short list of runners to break the 4-minute barrier in the mile two years later. Perhaps a feat Rocco will have a chance to make a run at someday.
Just not right now.
“I’m focusing on the cross season and trying to win a state title in cross,” he said. “Then focusing on (Nike Cross Regionals and Nationals). Not really thinking about track until it’s time.”
Culpepper finished third at the 4A state cross country meet last year, tailing two outbound seniors. He went on to place 38th at the national championship meet last December and was named the Times-Call boys’ cross country runner of the year.
