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Senior Spotlight: Christman’s perseverance will take him far

by DYLAN GREENE
Sports Editor | June 2, 2020 1:00 AM

Editor’s note: This article is part of a recurring series on local high school athletes who had their seasons cut short or canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

SANDPOINT — It’s all good.

According to Matt Brass, head track and boys cross country coach, that’s the go-to catchphrase and life mantra for Gabe Christman. Whatever the situation, whatever the circumstance, Gabe tends to say those three simple words. Brass said it’s Gabe’s way of staying positive and always looking on the bright side.

“Gabe has an infectious smile and attitude,” Brass said. “He’s always happy.”

Gabe was a member of the track and cross country teams all four years of high school. He steered clear of injuries during his freshman season but as a sophomore and junior, Gabe dealt with nagging injuries that kept him from reaching his full potential. Each time Gabe took a step forward, it seemed like an injury set him back and interrupted his training routine.

“The hard part was just watching everybody else go,” Gabe said, “and wishing I could be there for them during the race because it’s hard when you have to leave people on their own to do it. You just feel bad.”

But this year was different. Gabe was able to stay healthy for the entire cross country season and his results were impressive.

Coming into this year, Gabe’s personal record in the 5K was 17:45. This season he ran a 16:05 at the Inland Empire Challenge, the fifth fastest time in SHS history.

It was a major jump and one that Gabe wasn’t really expecting given his goal entering this season was just to get under 17 minutes. But he’ll take it and he feels honored that his name is etched in the school’s record books.

“It was the highlight of my high school career,” he said. “I’ve never been able to really compete at that level until this year. It was really life changing actually just being able to experience all that and race up in front with those guys. It was a lot of fun.”

Just like any athlete, Brass discovered what made Gabe perform at his best and that included toning down his training plan to help him avoid injury. So instead of running six days a week, Brass had Gabe run four days a week and bike the other two. It also helped that Gabe started to realize he has limits and can’t go full throttle all the time, Brass said.

As a junior, Gabe was one of the cross country teams top JV runners but as last summer progressed, Brass could tell he had the potential to be one of the top three varsity runners.

The confidence Gabe built during that offseason was evident, so Brass named him a team captain and tried pushing him to new heights.

“We challenged him to do two things,” Brass said, “lead by example and be vocal and then push himself to a place ... he never thought that he could really go.”

Gabe certainly did that and Brass said his performance was an inspiration to his teammates and probably surprised league rivals Moscow and Lakeland.

“I’m sure they were like, who’s this guy,” Brass joked.

When Gabe was battling injuries, he said the hardest part was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Mentally, it was just something I knew I had to do, so it wasn’t even an option for me,” Gabe said about overcoming adversity.

Brass said at any point during the recovery process Gabe could have just given up, but he didn’t and that speaks to his character.

“Gabe is like a sincere, optimistic workhorse,” he said. “He’s honest, he always sees the best in people and he won’t be outworked.”

Gabe’s dad, Dean Christman, isn’t surprised his son stuck with cross country and track despite the obstacles he faced with injuries.

“That’s the way he is,” Dean said. “If he decides to do something he’s going to follow through. I felt like when they made him a captain something clicked in him where the competitiveness was even more fierce. He was always dedicated and determined, but he took that responsibility very seriously and it turned out really well.”

Gabe started competing in track in seventh grade and cross county in eighth grade. His older brother, Jade, went through the SHS cross country program and his younger brother, Riley, is currently a junior on the track and cross country teams so running certainly runs in the family.

For Gabe, running does much more than keep him in shape.

“It’s weird,” he said. “It’s not something that’s outwardly enjoyable ... but I think just that feeling when you’re going and you get to a point where — especially at the end of a race — where you’re going so hard and it hurts so bad that you just block it all out and you just feel absolutely invincible. It’s that feeling that always makes me want to keep going. Running makes me feel like nothing can stop me.”

Dean said once his oldest son went through the cross country program, he knew he wanted Gabe and his youngest to get that experience as well because of the coaching.

“I can’t give enough credit to Matt and Angie [Brass],” Dean said. “Those two together are quite the team. I’ve told them before that they are life changers.”

Gabe was hoping to build off a successful cross country season this spring on the track. He was aiming to run a time in the 800 under two minutes and a 4:30 or lower in the 1600.

Brass said it’s disappointing that Gabe didn’t get his chance to shine on the track because he would have made his mark.

Gabe’s favorite high school memory came this past fall when he and the rest of the boys cross country team did elevation training up at Nikolai Braedt’s house at Schweitzer for over a month in preparation for state. They slept overnight and he built relationships with his teammates that he hopes will never end.

“Being up there for days on end with everybody, that was the highlight of my entire high school experience,” he said.

Gabe said the two sports he was involved in taught him responsibility and how to be a leader, and he feels fortunate that he was able to call SHS his second home the past four years.

“I feel like Sandpoint was a pretty great place to grow up in and a pretty great school to go to,” he said.

Gabe will attend the University of Idaho this fall and hasn’t figured out what degree he’ll pursue quite yet. He just wants to get to college and see where life takes him from there.

Dean has enjoyed watching his son compete in athletics over the years and he did whatever he could to make it to every one of Gabe’s meet.

Gabe said his dad is the hardest working person he’s ever met and whenever he thought about giving up or slowing down in a race, he always thought about what his dad would do — never quit.

Dean couldn’t be prouder of his son and the ambition he carries with him.

“I feel like if Gabe can continue on with his drive,” Dean said, “and even give it half the drive that’s he’s given [to sports], he’s going to do great and I can’t wait to see it happen.”

In his own words: Gabe Christman

“My four years of high school were absolutely amazing, and most of that greatness comes from my time on the cross country team and the people I’ve met along the way. Cross country coaches Matt and Angie have been coaching the team since 2006 and during that time they have changed the lives of countless kids for the better (mine included), and there is no way to thank them for the thousands of hours they’ve put in for us and the amazing things they have done for this community. Our team may have been great but the credit goes to them for bringing us all together and showing us what we could really achieve. Much of my great experience on the team I have to contribute to those who graduated before me as well. Especially the class of 2018, those were some of the best leaders the team had ever seen. This last season was especially great, and not just because it was my senior season, but because of the team we had and what we found we could accomplish with a common goal in mind. Nikolai, Jett, Seth, Keegan, Brady, Trey, and Tyler, you guys all made this last season better than I ever could have hoped for and I’m glad we got the chance to make that journey together.”