Freshman Jose Penvaler Chases His Dreams

Photo courtesy of Jose Penvaler

BY ANDY MORALES

As soon as Cooper City High School freshman Jose Penvaler gets out of school, he puts on his running shoes and does what he does best. Unlike many students trying to etch their place into the world, Penvaler already has – and not just at CCHS. He is one of the few elite athletes in the world that has had the honor of competing in the International Junior Running Circuit, and has earned the title of Junior Olympian.

At the age of ten, Venezuelan-born Penvaler fell in love with track. His parents were avid runners and when they introduced their son to the sport, they saw that he had tremendous talent. After dabbling in various track categories, he decided that longer distances suited him best and chose to compete in the 800, 1500, and 3000 meter runs. After this decision, Penvaler put his heart and soul into the event. He conditioned through many hours of competition, long runs, healthy eating, and mental preparation; eventually, he was able to become one of the top junior runners in Venezuela.

“He’s an extremely talented young individual, and it’s incredible to work with him and coach him,” Coach Terry Snipes said.

Penvaler’s Junior Olympic journey began when he moved from Venezuela to Florida. He immediately wanted to compete in track when he got to the United States, so he joined the Miramar Track and Field team and through many qualification events and meets he placed high enough to qualify for a spot in the Junior Olympics when he was thirteen. Penvaler’s experience is one he’ll never forget. While competing in three track events he placed 12^th in the 800 meters, 25^th in the 1500 meter, and 16^th in the 3000 meter run. He wants to use the experience he got from the Junior Olympics to help improve his future runs so he can hopefully qualify again for a chance at another title.

Because running is an extremely competitive sport, Penvaler has to stay on top of his game at all times. This requires hours of training on and off the track; Penvaler stays at his best by endless practicing. When training for a competition he will run five times a week, and try to challenge himself with some hill running. He also tries to eat as healthy as he can while drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated throughout the day. All this training and preparation is so he can achieve his ultimate goal of going back to the Junior Olympics; attending this prestigious competition is one of the highest achievements a junior runner could hope to reach. The top junior runners from all over the globe go to compete in the hopes of winning the coveted gold medal, crowning them as one of the elite.

“Running in Venezuela was really fun, but a little less demanding than Florida,” Penvaler said.

What Penvaler is really focusing on right now, however, is improving himself as a runner and teammate for CCHS’s Cross Country and Track and Field teams. Penvaler, since joining the teams, has placed extremely high in most of his races, competed at regional’s, and earned the number two spot on the team. He knows that there’s room for improvement though. Penvaler wants to reduce all of his times in the 800, 1500, and 3000 meter run and with the amazing talent and competition in CCHS, he believes that he’ll certainly be able to achieve this.

“He always knows how to keep the team spirit up,” sophomore and fellow Track and Field runner Frankie Baquedano said.

Penvaler has many dreams that he’d like to achieve in running. Hopefully, his intense training and determination can help him obtain these goals and bring out the best in his game.