Tommy Rice is a high school senior who excels in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses and studies in the business program at GlenOak High School, but his running times on the track and cross country course are what make this all-star athlete a standout.
The 18-year-old is a member of the GlenOak cross country and indoor and outdoor track teams where he runs the open 800, 4 x 400, 4 x 800, 1600 and 3200-meter events. He is also among the top 10 student-athletes in the nation to qualify for the Champs Sports Cross Country National Championship in San Diego last month.
He is driven by a love for competition and the adrenaline rush during and after a run. The clock ultimately determines his finish, but he sets the pace based on the race.
“Each race has a different goal — sometimes it’s going after a PR (personal record), and sometimes it’s just to win. I don’t worry too much about time because it can get you away from running - you can become more focused on hitting that time. I can do better when I’m focused on racing and trying to compete,” he explains.
His strategy works. Last June, he ran 1600 meters in 4 minutes and 13 seconds at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
While Tommy aims to win the race, throughout high school he has also focused on helping his team qualify for the state championships.
“As an athlete and a teammate, Tommy helped lead the team to back-to-back state championship berths. He used his experience at the state championship as a freshman and sophomore to help prepare the team for post-season competition during his junior and senior years,” said GlenOak Coach Bryan Krosse.
Running has been part of his life since youth sports. He played soccer until he was in seventh grade and then tried out for the cross-country team.
“Once I made the decision to focus on cross-country, I stopped playing basketball my freshman year and started running almost year-round to try and become the best that I could be,” Tommy says. “My freshman year I set a goal to become all Ohio and accomplished that. From then on, I’ve set time goals and finished higher and higher each year.”
Running is a family tradition for the Rice family. Tommy says his mother, Chrissy, was a runner, his father, Kevin, ran in high school, and several cousins run. Now his parents and sister attend his meets and races to watch him compete.
When he isn’t running, he enjoys spending time with friends, playing basketball, soccer, snow and water skiing, fishing and hiking. He enjoys four-legged friends too. He paired his love for animals with his Eagle project by building an outdoor shade structure at the Stark County Humane Society.
“Before my grandfather passed away, he pointed me in the direction of the Humane Society, to do something there, and building the shade structure felt like I was doing something for him,” he says.
After he bids farewell to high school, Tommy will attend the University of Tennessee on a cross country and track scholarship and major in business. His sights are set on becoming an NCAA champion, all-American in both cross country and track and winning an SEC championship. He may even pursue a post-graduate degree. He says, “I’m just beginning!”
Tommy, we’re cheering for you!