Iola-Scandinavia’s Ben Beck caps junior season with a state title win

Ben Beck of Iola-Scandinavia achieved the top accomplishment that an athlete in high school sports can pull off as he stood atop the podium for the 2025 Division 3 3200-meter run at La Crosse in his junior season.

Winning the 3200 M with a time of 9:28.02 at the State meet, Ben also competed in the 1600 Meter Run at the State meet as well finishing fourth with a time of 4:18.89.

Ben didn’t start competing in long-distance running until a cross-country coach approached him, “A coach from the XC team convinced me to join my freshman year after I quit football. From there I decided to do long distance in track as well.” Ben also felt it would keep him in shape for other sports, “The reason I decided to do XC my freshman year was because I thought it would be good conditioning for basketball. Basketball was my favorite sport until my freshman year when I realized I should pursue long-distance running. “

The support throughout long-distance running has kept Ben engaged in the sport, “My favorite part about long-distance running is all of the competitive support from everyone you race against. In other sports, you dislike your competitors and feel resentment against them. In long-distance running, it’s a whole different culture. That is why I have grown to love the sport so much. I love it because no matter how everyone races, there is support from everyone at the finish line, and congratulations to everyone who finished the race.”

Ben’s ability to race under pressure is what he considers he believes sets him apart from his competition, “ I think my biggest asset to me while competing is my ability to make the right decisions even while under physical stress. My biggest asset is my mind while running, I credit that to the book I have been reading by Steve Magness called “Do Hard Things” I take pride in my ability to maintain a straight head while racing on the biggest stages.”

His shift in mentality towards competing has made Ben’s high school career memorable so far, “There have been so many great memories I’ve had while competing in high school sports. If I had to choose one it would be the state track meet weekend this spring.  Last year I didn’t have the races I wanted and my experience wasn’t what I expected. This year I changed that. The way I was able to hold myself the whole weekend made me feel confident and in turn, it helped me race to the best of my abilities. From not having a podium finish last year to having two this year made it very memorable and special to me.”

Ben appreciates the value of his coaches and teammates who helped him to a state championship, “My coaches Ms. Manley and Ms. Hoffman helped me in the cross-country season stay level-headed even with a small injury. All of my teammates this past track season were such a big part of my success. They helped me stay focused on the present and helped me enjoy the time I had leading up to big meets. Without my teammates, I wouldn’t have gotten to share great memories with anyone.”