Theo Teszler is a first-year Track and Field athlete from Newton, MA. He went to Newton North High School and is a prospective engineering major. Teszler predominantly runs the 400-meter race and has now broken two programs records in this event.
Katie Kerman: How did you feel about your most recent meet and the team’s performance?
Theo Teszler: It felt good to get another personal record (PR) as the team approaches conferences, and it is something I can gain confidence from moving forward. Going into my 400-meter I wanted to make sure I got out aggressive in the first 150 of the race, and make sure I won the heat. Our team also had some great performances in the three-kilometer and mile from Charlie [Schuetz] and Colin [DeLaney], and hope we can keep that momentum going the last stretch of the season.
KK: What have been some highlights of the season thus far?
TT: The two big highlights for me this season have been my performances at U.Penn going 49.76 and now 49.23 in the 400-meter. The first race at U.Penn was exciting, but I left knowing I could’ve raced smarter. So to be able to get a half-second PR this time around was great, but I know more is still left on the table to go get.
KK: What are some team or personal goals for the rest of the season?
TT: The hope for the team this year is to have the best possible performance at conferences, and put up as many points as we can. Personally my goal is to win the conference 400-meter, and contribute as much as possible to the relays we choose to run.
KK: Do you have any pre-game or post-game rituals?
TT: Every meet I usually listen to a movie soundtrack before I run. I randomly tried it last year in high school and it worked once so I just stuck to it. Before a race it can be hard to balance your nerves and adrenaline, and, for me, a movie soundtrack can both be calming and still get me focused on what I have to do in my race.
KK: Do you have an athlete role model or someone in the sport you look up to?
TT: As an Eagles fan, I have to say Jalen Hurts, but that might be a little biased. I think he’s someone that always has in mind his end goal, and will do whatever it takes to get that no matter what it looks like. In the sport of Track and Field, I would say my favorite athlete is Noah Lyles. He’s definitely a controversial guy, but I think his energy and confidence brings entertainment to track. I think some people get ticked off about his overconfidence, but I think in track it’s so important every race to be confident in your own ability. Second guessing yourself and the work you put in on race day never leads to success.
KK: What makes you want to be a part of Track and Field?
TT: I started running Track and Field a little in elementary school mostly because of my dad, who has coached track my whole life, but it really wasn’t until high school that I started taking it seriously. It really started for me my sophomore year of high school when I kept getting faster and faster every week. The process of hard work to concretely see a result of that work I think is what makes track special. My high school track coach would always say, “what you put in, you’ll get out.” If you do the work you’ll always see the reward. Seeing the culmination of years of work is why I love track.
KK: Why did you choose Swarthmore? What is your area of study?
TT: I chose Swarthmore because I was looking for a smaller school that at the same time gave me so many different opportunities. I’m currently studying engineering, but I like not having to devote all my time to the pursuit of one subject. It’s nice to be able to try out taking a course in history, economics or whatever else I find interest in.
KK: What is your favorite class you have taken in your first year at Swarthmore?
TT: My favorite class so far was Physics 3L, which I honestly only took because Physics 3 had filled up. I had already taken some physics classes in high school, so Physics 3 would’ve largely been a repeat. However, 3L uses physics to study life sciences. I got to see how the same equations I had used in high school could be applied to vastly different scenarios that I never had really thought about as physics problems.
KK: How has being a student-athlete impacted your experience at Swarthmore?
TT: It definitely makes things a lot busier, but I think it’s great to have time at practice and the team to de-stress. It also kind of forces you to compartmentalize your time more effectively, which I think makes me more productive. In the times where I’m not playing a sport I find it easy to procrastinate my work more because it feels like I’ll have limitless time. So just having a consistent schedule I think has been great for me.
KK: What are some fun hobbies you like to do?
TT: One of my biggest hobbies for a while has been PC gaming and building computers. I built my own computer in seventh grade as well as a few for my friends along the way, and I always seem to be buying little upgrades every year or two. A newer hobby I’ve picked up from my girlfriend is building aquariums. I have a betta fish at home, and it’s been super fun building a whole ecosystem that I can see everyday. I also watch YouTube shorts in the morning because it sparks joy.
