For most of his athletic career, Chesterton senior Braden Corzan thought he was a football guy.
In fact, when he started running track in seventh grade, he did it to stay in shape for football.
But after a few injury-plagued seasons in football and his emergence as one of the top sprinters in the state, Corzan has focused his future on track.
“I break too easy,” Corzan said. “That’s why football isn’t a thing for me.”
After dominating the regular season in the 400 meters, Corzan ended his high school career with a winning time of 47.41 seconds at the state meet.
Corzan, the 2018 Post-Tribune Boys Track Athlete of the Year, followed in the family tradition. His older brother Darren, a 2017 Chesterton graduate, played football and ran track.
“I was always racing my brother, always trying to catch him,” Corzan said. “I got lucky having a brother who’s also really fast.”
But much of Braden Corzan’s football career was derailed by injuries.
He missed part of his sophomore season with a back injury that also cost him that track season. His junior season in football ended with a broken wrist in the first week.
As a senior, he played most of the year with a cast over his broken right thumb — although Corzan was quick to point out he still managed two interceptions from his safety position.
Because of that long list, staying healthy was one of Corzan’s biggest goals in the track. Coach Bryan Nallenweg also made sure not to overuse Corzan.
“I’m a big believer in minimum effective dosage,” said Nallenweg, borrowing a phrase he picked up from other sprint coaches. “We only did as much as we needed to do to get him where he needed to be training-wise.”
Corzan flourished under that plan, winning the 400 nearly a full second ahead of the rest of the field — one of the most decisive victories at the state meet. But Corzan’s college plans have not been as clear cut.
In mid-April, Corzan committed to Akron, with the understanding he would receive some scholarship money. But Akron later told Corzan he would be a preferred walk-on instead.
“That wasn’t happening,” Corzan said.
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Just a few days after winning the state title, Corzan signed his letter of intent — with a full scholarship — to run at Indiana State, where he’ll be reunited with 2017 Chesterton graduate EJ Biokoro.
“We ran with each other last year and it was a blast,” Corzan said of Biokoro. “ISU gave me the best deal, the education I want, and I’ve got a good friend there. It’s a win-win-win.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.