ELKHART LAKE — Brody Feldmann wasn’t one to relish jumping through hoops, or over hurdles, to get where he was going.
The Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah Resorters track and field standout had never competed in the 110-meter hurdles before this past season, although he had run the 300 hurdles his first two years.
His coach, Jon Petrie, pushed Feldmann to run both hurdles events because in his eyes he knew the junior would excel.
“He just started to believe in it,” Petrie said. “I always saw him as a hurdler. He’s fast, tall and lanky. He’s got a hurdlers build. Once he bought in the results started coming really good.”
Feldmann ended up taking third in the 110 hurdles at the WIAA Division 3 state track and field championships last month, fourth in the 300 hurdles while adding a fifth-place medal in the 200 for good measure.
“Once I got over the mental block I had with the event it started to come naturally,” Feldmann said.
From never running the 110 hurdles to a bronze medal, plus two more medals, at state was quite the accelerated acclimation for the 2024 Lakeshore Elite boys track and field athlete of the year.
Lakeshore Elite is an all-area team comprised of schools from Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties.
“Just very surprised on how well my season ended up being, didn’t expect anything like this,” Feldmann said. “I was hoping to make the (state) finals in the 300 hurdles, not knowing I’d make it in three events.”
Added Petrie:
“He blew all our expectations out of the water but not too surprising because he such a good athlete,” Petrie said.
Petrie’s biggest surprise was Feldmann not only making the finals in the 200 but having the fastest time of his season in the event the following day to secure a medal. The junior placed 10th in the preliminary race by .02 seconds just to make the final.
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“I thought the 200 would be a challenge,” Petrie said. “He snuck into the finals then had his best race of the season next time out.”
There was one thing which motivated Feldmann — family.
“What pushed me was I had family show up at every meet this season,” Feldmann said. “I tried to perform for them and make sure they came to a good meet.”
Petrie also thinks Feldmann showed courage by admitting he didn’t feel invincible and wanted to improve.
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“He was definitely willing to admit he was nervous,” Petrie said. “Kind of nice to see that vulnerable side of his.”
Now that his junior season is in the books, Feldmann and Petrie are looking towards next year when Feldmann has a great chance to break the school records in both hurdles events.
“I’m hoping to get top three in all three events,” Feldmann said. “Maybe even win the 300 hurdles.”
Added Petrie:
“We think he can do just a little bit better because we know he’s got it in him,” Petrie said.
Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 ortdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at@Tom_Dombeck.
LAKESHORE ELITE BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024
Athlete of the year: Brody Feldmann, jr., Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah: Honorable mention: Ryan Lang, jr., Sheboygan North; Caleb Jatczak, sr., Manitowoc Lincoln; Evan Behling, sr., Sheboygan Falls; Wyatt Herzog, jr., Plymouth; Kevin VanStelle, sr., Oostburg; Ethan Vander Meer, sr., Kiel; Matthew Wilterdink, jr., Oostburg; Christian Pyles, jr., Two Rivers; Edi Mella, sr., Plymouth; Mason Davies, jr., Oostburg; Owen Bramstedt, jr., Howards Grove; Gabriel Stuebs, jr., Manitowoc Lutheran; Jamison Velzke, jr., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Hunter Taddy, sr., Reedsville; Aaron Nehls, sr., Ozaukee; Will Huenink, jr., Cedar Grove–Belgium; Clark Behler, jr., Kohler; Xavier Kauth, jr., Valders; Mason Stoeckigt, jr., Howards Grove; Anthony Justinger, jr., Kohler; Austin Lemke, sr., Ozaukee; Otto Utecht, jr., Ozaukee; Reid Rydzewski, sr., Random Lake; Bennett Cornwell, jr., Kohler.
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