The golden Staehr

Carsen Staehr stood around the 30-yard line on the northwest side of the Omaha Burke turf, looking around as the final race was running on the track, wanting to remember everything.
The smell, the heat, the sound, the joy, some heartbreak, too. In that moment, Staehr’s high school athletic career was over. He just wanted to hang onto that feeling for a few more moments.
Had the feeling hit him yet that he’ll never put on the red and white Aurora uniform again?
“No, it definitely hasn’t,” Staehr responded. “It’s hard to put into words being here three years in a row. It hasn’t hit that it’s over. I’m still trying to bask it in before it’s all over.”
In the span of two days, Staehr had unleashed 12 triple and long jumps, a pair of 200 dash races as well as a 400 attempt.
That culminated with two gold medals and a sixth place finish. Not bad.
Throughout all of it, though, whether it ended with a state championship or a missed cut in the 400, Staehr’s humbleness and character showed.
After winning the triple jump Wednesday morning, the first person Staehr shared a mutual respect handshake with was McCook’s Brett Fraker, who finished second.
After winning the long jump event, the first person Staehr went in for a hug with was McCook’s Adam Dugger, the man Staehr ousted as the defending champ of the event and the runner-up finisher.
Aurora’s friendly rivalry with McCook on the football field is based off mutual respect for one another and an unparalleled desire to win. Quite frankly, it’s a thrill watch.
That rivalry shifted, at least for a moment, to the sand pit at Burke.
In each of the triple and long jump events, it was Staehr against three McCook Bison. Sure, there were plenty of other schools and athletes represented, but it was Aurora versus McCook at the top of the board.
It was impossible to ignore.
“I love all those guys. We pushed each other to be the best,” Staehr said. “At the end of the day, we’re going to be friends, but while we’re competing, we’re supporting each other.”
How about the moment during the 200 meter dash final Thursday, where Staehr competed in his final event and finished sixth.
After seven runners crossed the line, none of them left the track. Every one of them waited as Waverly’s Grant Schere, who suffered a hamstring injury earlier in the meet, came walking around the curve and down the straightaway.
Schere received a standing ovation from the crowd and his seven competitors waiting at the finish line, Staehr at the front of that line.
“At the end of that 200 when Grant (Schere) was walking, all of us were rooting for him,” Staehr said. “It’s just awesome the relationships I’ve been able to build.”
That’s who Staehr is. He cares more about other people’s accomplishments than his own. He wants other people to do great.
He’s never been one to complain -- just work harder.
He’s the Aurora school record holder in the triple jump and No. 2 all time in the long jump. He’s inside the top five all-time in the 200 dash and inside the top 10 of the 400 dash.
You wouldn’t know that by asking him, he doesn’t brag about it too much. But don’t mistake that for not being proud of what’s he’s done wearing the Aurora uniform.
Yet, what he’s most proud of has nothing to do with how far he can jump or how fast he can run around a track.
It’s connecting with his little brother or the underclassmen who are joining the track team for the first time.
“I wouldn’t even say it’s any of my accomplishments, it’s the relationships I’ve built through track with my teammates and coaches,” Staehr said. “Getting to know the underclassmen and kids I don’t normally talk to in track has been awesome.”
Staehr is off to South Dakota to compete on the Yotes track team, where he can continue to chase other milestones, like a 50-foot triple jump and maybe someday besting Tom Haase’s long jump mark of 24-06.50.
His goals for 2023 were to win the gold medal in both the long and triple jumps, but he also achieved a goal he may not have known about. He invigorated a community around what he was doing on the track, winning with class and humility.
Staehr never asked for recognition or attention. He just competed and the results followed suit.
His name will be in Aurora’s record book forever as a three-time state champion. His best marks and times may not be written in ink, but will take a pretty good eraser to move down.
RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.