A hobby becomes a passion for Somers' Olivia Suter

Apr. 10—Olivia Suter's track career started as somewhat of an afterthought. It was the spring of her freshman year at Somers High, and she was looking for a way to keep active following the soccer season.

"It was kind of like I had nothing to do," Suter said. "I always like staying active, so I thought track might be fun. I did it and I loved it."

Suter had grown up playing soccer. But as time went on, she realized track was her calling.

"I wasn't as good at soccer as I was track," she said. "I think with track, I just have more ways to shine I guess because it's an individual sport versus a team sport."

The decision to shift her primary focus to her track career has paid dividends for Suter, who's now a senior.

Not only is she the reigning outdoor NCCC and Class S state champion in the 300-meter hurdles, but she's signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her track career at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield next year.

"She's just had leadership from a young age," Somers coach Michael Szafir said. "Just her dedication and her hard work. She's somebody who leads by example and makes the other people around her want to be better by the way in which she carries herself."

Though Suter's first year of track was her freshman year, the seeds were planted the year prior.

As a teacher at Mabelle B. Avery Middle School, Szafir likes to keep tabs on potential athletes that could benefit his cross country and track teams once they get into high school. He felt that Suter would do just that.

"I definitely remember trying to pressure her a little bit," Szafir said. "Just being like 'No, you've got to do it. It'll be fun. I think you'll have a lot of success.' ... She had the potential."

It didn't take long for the sprinter and hurdler to live up to that potential. In her freshman season, she took seventh in the 300 hurdles (49.47) at the Class S state meet.

Her sophomore season was even better. She finished third in Class S in the 100-meter hurdles (17.19), and had top five finishes in the 200-meter dash and 100 hurdles at NCCCs. But it was the 300 hurdles that brought her the most success. She won both the conference (48.67) and state (47.07) titles, and finished eighth at the State Open (47.25) in the event. She was selected to the all-NCCC team for her efforts.

Suter credits her sprinting ability in part to her career as a soccer striker. She started playing around the age of three, and continued through her senior high school season last fall. She scored 35 goals and added 14 assists in a four-year varsity career with the Spartans.

But her success in the hurdles? That's a different story.

"I think my coach told me I should try it," Suter said. "My grandfather was a hurdler at Temple University. So I was like, 'Maybe I have it in my genes.' "

Suter lost all of her junior outdoor season and most of her senior indoor season due to the COVID-19 pandemic — indoor teams were allowed to begin their seasons March 1, the final month of the winter season.

Since Somers doesn't have an indoor team, up to three boys and three girls can practice and attend meets with the Ellington team, something Suter did her sophomore-senior years.

The Knights only had a few indoor meets this year, all of them taking place outdoors. But coach Adam Zylberman was impressed with what he saw from Suter, not just this season, but her entire tenure with the team.

"She kept showing up day after day in the parking lot out back, and just the way that she led by example, it was a really positive impact on the entire program," Zylberman said.

Suter's indoor career was highlighted by a NCCC title (9.07) and a fourth place finish at the Class S meet (9.17) in the 55-meter hurdles in 2020. An all-NCCC pick as a sophomore and junior, she feels that her time with the Ellington team has only benefited her career.

"It's good to have a diverse range of coaching and different workouts and teaching," Suter said. "So, it's been really great and it's helped me get good marks in indoor and also preparing for the upcoming outdoor season."

Suter's final season with the Spartans begins Wednesday at East Windsor. She said her personal goal for this season is "to keep PRing and obviously hopefully stay the reigning Class S champ in the 300 hurdles."

Next year, Suter will run both indoor and outdoor track at Sacred Heart. She verbally committed to the school on March 2, and signed her National Letter of Intent March 24. She said she chose the school because of the welcoming atmosphere she felt when she visited.

"It's definitely just the school that I feel allows me to excel both academically and athletically, and also spiritually," Suter said. "Since it's a Christian institution and faith is really important to me, I knew that I wanted to go to a school that I could grow spiritually as well."

She plans on majoring in secondary education. Right now, she wants to teach in the science field, but said that isn't definitive.

Suter never thought she'd get the chance to compete at a Division I school. But she's grateful for that opportunity.

"It just shows that if you put hard work into your sport that you will see results and the outcome that you want to see," she said. "It's good to know that not only the LLs and the big name schools have kids that go Division I. A good runner, and a good athlete can come from anywhere, as long as you put in the hard work."

For coverage of the Connecticut Sun and professional women's basketball, Hartford Athletic pro soccer team, as well as area high school and local youth sports, follow Adam Betz on Twitter: @AdBetz1, Facebook: Adam Betz — Sports Writer, and Instagram: @AdBetzJI.