Steamboat Springs — As gifted as Hayden High School’s Jack Redmond is on the track, competing at a collegiate level has been nothing more than an afterthought for the top-notch student. He started receiving offer letters at the end of his junior season, including one from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but hardly paid it any attention.

“I received a letter that they were interested in me for the track team. I didn’t do really anything about it and put it on the backburner,” Redmond said. “And then this season, when I was looking at schools, that one came up. I just kind of fell in love with their academic program there. And then I remembered about the track and got in touch with their coach, and it just kind of all clicked.”

Last week in Hayden, Redmond signed his letter of intent to compete in track and field for Coe College, a private, four-year liberal arts institution with approximately 1,400 students. The Kohawks compete in NCAA Division III.

For Redmond, joining the Coe track team was just an added bonus. He originally made the decision to attend the small Iowa school after he received around $30,000 in academic scholarships and grants to be paid over four years.

Redmond plans to major in physical therapy and athletic training. He also looked closely at Lutheran College, in Decorah, Iowa, but felt more comfortable with Coe.

“Going to college, I’m more focused on academics. I want to get my degree,” Redmond said. “Track is something that I really enjoy doing, so I want to pursue that as well. It’s second to academics for me.”

On the Coe track team, Redmond said he intends to compete in the same events he did in high school, namely the triple jump and long jump. He also hopes to run in the 1,600-meter relay in college, an event he didn’t get to do in high school, as the team didn’t have enough runners.

In the state track and field meet earlier this month, Redmond took second in Class 2A in the triple jump (41 feet, 4 inches) and fourth in the long jump (20-04).

He will report to Coe College on Aug. 20, along with the rest of the Kohawk student-athletes.