Knute Rockne makes his own name

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Provo » Knute Rockne doesn't strive to be like his grandfather.

Of course, one would always love to follow in the footsteps of family, but with Rockne, baseball was his thing. And then, almost by default, came track and field. Yes, Rockne has done everything he can to embrace the legacy of his grandfather, while at the same time blazing his own trail.

But there's nothing he can do about being named after Notre Dame football coaching legend Knute Rockne.

"It's almost been a double-edged sword," said Rockne, the head coach of the Brighton High track and field team.

"Part of it is amazing and it's great being recognized. I'm very proud of my grandfather and of the success he's had. Still, you have to make your way and you have to do what you have to in order to distinguish yourself."

"Win one for the Gipper?"

It wouldn't be the smartest thing to ask the younger Rockne how many times he's been hit with that line in jest. When asked, he simply smiled, shook his head and said "it happens quite a bit."

What's known around Utah, especially in track and field circles, is that Rockne has carved out quite a reputation for himself after four years as the head track coach at Brighton.

"He's one of the best coaches that I've ever had," Bengals runner Kylie Hirschi said. "He's very patient, he's helped me so much with my technique. I definitely wouldn't be where I am without him, his guidance and his leadership."

As a team, Brighton is top-heavy, with superstars in Hirschi and Aubrey Hale scoring bunches of points between the two of them. What the Bengals currently lack is depth. They have people who can win races and finish second. They don't have the depth that enables them to accrue points via the third, fourth and fifth place finish.

That's an area of improvement that's high on the list for Rockne. His mission is to elevate the Bengal program into one of the elite track programs in the state. But if he's to challenge the likes of Davis and Riverton, he knows the lack of depth within the program is something that must be fixed.

"We've got to get the commitment level better within the program," Rockne said. "Right now we have people who like to run, but don't live to run. As a result, sometimes practice is hit and miss. We want to be really good, and I think we have the ability to be really good. I think we're a year away, but I also think that we're going to get there."