Red Oak’s Bergren signs letter of intent to run at SWCC

RED OAK — Red Oak High School runner Brandon Bergren signed a letter of intent to compete at Southwestern Community College (SWCC), next school year.

Bergren will be competing at SWCC in cross country, as well as their newly formed track and field team.

“I know they have a really good cross country team up there,” Bergren said. “And they’re getting a track team for the first time and I think it would be the best place for me to go.”

Bergren signed his letter of intent last Thursday at Red Oak High School. He said he was originally planning to join the cross country team, but then found out about the track team from there.

In choosing a place to compete, Bergren said he sent in an application for cross country for SWCC. At that point, he found out there would be a track team and expressed interest in competing in that sport, as well.

“We had set it up that I would do both,” Bergren said.

Bergren opted for SWCC, instead of Iowa Western Community College (IWCC). He opted for SWCC because IWCC was more crowded and he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to get into cross country.

“I just felt like Southwestern was the right choice for me,” Bergren said.

The SWCC campus is located in Creston. Bergren will be majoring in business systems networking. Bergren said he decided last year community college would be the right move for him, at least right now. The possibility is there that he could go on to a four-year institution after he’s done at SWCC.

“Mainly, I’ve been looking at going to a two-year, three-year community college,” Bergren said.

As for which track events Bergren will compete in, he said it hasn’t been discussed with the coach yet.

“It just all depends on who is doing what and what the coaches decide,” Bergren said.

Bergren competed in both cross country and track and field at Red Oak High School.

During his senior season, he was among the top finishers for Red Oak in both cross country and track.  

In track, Bergren ran primary 400, and 800-meter races or relays, including the 400-hurdles.

One of the top finishes for Bergren during the cross country season was during the Corning meet, last September.

During that meet, Bergren ran a time of 19:34 to finish 13th.
During the track season, Bergren had many finishes in the top six for Red Oak, both individually and in the relays.

Bergren also competed in varsity basketball for Red Oak, but he said he figured cross country and track would be better.

He said he talked to the basketball coach, but found out the team was losing only two players next season.

“I figured it would be harder to get into basketball when they really are only replacing two people and maybe finding only one or two more, than in cross country or track when at most you can have as many as you want,” Bergren said.

SWCC competes in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference along with schools like IWCC, Ellsworth Community College, Des Moines Area Community College and many more.