Zach Kreft
BUCKEYE VALLEY 18 Senior 4.01 (National Honor Society) Cross country and track
Will sign with Notre Dame to run cross country and track. Plans to major in computer engineering
How did the scholarship offer from Notre Dame come about?
After last track season, college coaches started contacting me. I took an unofficial visit to Notre Dame in late spring or early summer and really liked it. Then I made an official visit and talked with the coach, and things just clicked so well. The engineering school is in the top 20 nationally, and you just can’t pass that up. I also visited Eastern Michigan, Kentucky and Yale.
Why the interest in computer engineering? I’ve always excelled in math and science. My dad (Tom) got me interested. He works in IT and programs for Ohio Mutual. My mom is Amanda and works for the Delaware County Human Resources Department. I have a sister, Bailey, who is a freshman here. She also runs.
How long have you been in scouting?
My dad was an Eagle Scout and got me involved starting with the Cub Scouts. I became an Eagle when I was 13, and that’s pretty young. I really enjoy the camping and the social part.
What was your project to get your Eagle badge?
We built eight wooden benches for Delaware State Park. They have a fishing pond and we put two benches around it and six benches around the campgrounds. We cemented them into the ground and put mulch around them. The first weekend was spent designing the frames. The second weekend was putting the benches together at the park. We go there every Monday for our long training run, and I see those benches. It’s rewarding to see.
What has been the big project in NHS lately?
Student council and NHS teamed to do this haunted forest for the elementary school kids. I was there to delegate. I walked the kids around the trail. I’m also with student council. Last year, I was junior vice president. In December, we’re going to bring in senior citizens and treat them to a meal. The choir is going to sing and the band will play. We try to give them a great day. Do you volunteer? We visit my grandpa (George Kreft) during Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas in Temperance, Michigan, and help out at the food pantries. During Christmas we give the kids presents. That’s a good time.
You won the state cross country championship last year. What was that like?
Oh, what a feeling. My sophomore year I was dead last because I had bronchitis. I had to be taken to a hospital in an ambulance. Last year, there was a little pressure on me. The competition was great, but in the back of my mind I knew I could do it. I don’t want to stop there, though.
You lost a shoe in the 1,600-meter run in the regional last year?
That was a little mishap (laughing). It was about 600 meters into the race and another competitor clipped the shoe perfectly. I knew I had to surge to the front. I actually led the race with 400 meters to go. My goal was to win it, but I finished in third place to advance to the state meet. I was on the awards podium and told my coach (Nate Ritz) and family that I had one shoe. They didn’t realize what happened. A teammate got the shoe back for me.
Does your family take any big vacations?
Every year we try to go somewhere new. We went to Hawaii for three weeks this summer. The first 1½ weeks we were on the big island. Then it was Maui. We went zip-lining and drove the back country through the banana groves. It sure wasn’t like Ohio.