Hang Ten: Roger Malonda

"Hang Ten" is a series that follows the non-Chicagoland student-athletes of Calumet College of St. Joseph, why they chose to play sports for the Crimson Wave, and what their journey has taught them

So how does a life long distance runner from Barcelona, Spain end up in Whiting, Indiana? "I always wanted to come to the United States, so when I was in high school back in Spain I got into contact with a coach here at CCSJ," said senior runner Roger Malonda. "I knew that a small school would be more beneficial for me, especially being from another country. I knew it would be easier for me to adapt to my new surroundings." When asked why he chose Calumet College of St. Joseph, it didn't take long for Roger to answer. "I liked how the team practiced together. Back in Spain you always practiced by yourself. Here everyone travels together, everyone roots for each other. It was a huge factor for me. The coaches seemed really interested in me as well, so that didn't hurt."

There was one negative that he didn't know about however, as Malonda light heartedly pointed out. "I certainly didn't know about the weather, but luckily that wasn't a big factor." With that one factor aside, he would happily recommend his home away from home to any potential student-athletes looking at CCSJ. "I would tell anyone that sometimes the smaller places bring out the bigger outcomes. We might not look like the most fancy of places, but I know that the quality is here." Malonda continued, "The community is here, everyone knows each other. It's just easier to cheer everyone on and stay together, almost like a family."

Throughout the interview, you can get a good glimpse into the personality of Malonda. He carries a quiet demeanor whenever he goes on campus. Whether it is in the classroom or in the Rittenmeyer Center, Malonda lets his actions speak louder than his words. "He's not the verbal type of leader," said Athletic Director and cross country/track coach Rick Torres. "Roger has always been soft spoken, but his best attribute is how he leads by example."

He might have a quiet nature, but performance on the course or track is anything but. Malonda has put together one of the better seasons in recent memory for both the CCJS cross country and track teams. It was this past weekend at the Fighting Bee Invitational that he punched his ticket to compete on the national stage. Malonda finished second in the 1000-meter race with a time of 2:30.44, a mark that will see his season end with a trip to the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships in March. He almost hit the A-Standard again an hour later, just finishing mere seconds off the qualifying time for the 3000-meter. "Training had been going well. We were going into that race with a plan," said Malonda when asked about his feeling before the national qualifying race. "The day of the race I felt good, we knew it could happen, and then it did."

When asked about what has changed to get him to this point, Torres was quick to point out that it was his mentality of not letting injuries get the best of him. "The last two years of setbacks has put a damper on things, to the point where he stopped talking about championship runs," said Torres. "I think it was at that point that he just let the results speak for themselves, and I think that this accomplishment speaks volumes on where his confidence is. He can easily be an All-American here at Calumet College" Malonda backed up the thoughts that his coach expressed. "The first three years hadn't been easy. There was a lot of injuries, so it was hard to get any momentum going. But everything has been improving this year. I think every injury, every obstacle has made me enjoy this that much more."

Malonda will have more opportunities at qualifying for more events at nationals. On his strategy once he gets to the starting line in Kansas, he pointed out that he will just have to get a feel for the race and go from there. "I think it will just be like getting ready for any other race. If it's a fast race, then I'll have to run fast. If it's a slow race with a kick at the end, I'll be ready. Right now we're strong endurance wise, we just have to get the speed up."

For up-to-the-minute Crimson Wave sports news, including a full recap of Roger's performance at the NAIA Indoor National Championships, visit us at ccsjathletics.com or download the CCSJ Athletics App on Google Play or the iTunes store. You can also follow CCSJ Athletics on social media on Facebook, @CCSJAthletics on Twitter and @crimsonwaveathletics on Instagram.