Steve Prefontaine grew up in Coos Bay, Oregon. He was born January 1,1951. He Tried all the sports like normal boys Football, Basketball, and Baseball. He loved to play but everyone told him he was to SMALL and did not have enough athletic ability to play. But Pre noticed that he was faster then everyone in gym. So he decided to go try to run Cross Country! He did not know that one decision would effect the rest of his life.
Pre realized that he was good at something and with hard work and going all out he could be good. His freshman year he was second on his team and finished 53rd at the Oregon High School Cross Country State Meet.
Going into his sophmore year Prefontaine had high goals set. He did really well and came in 6th in the state meet. But that was not good enough for Pre he had to be number one. Since Pre was not satisfied he trained really hard through the winter months expecting a good track season. When track rolled around Pre had burned himself out. He had a bad season and failed to qualify for the 2 mile at the state meet.
Pre came back his junior more determined then ever and he went undefeated in cross country both his junior and senior year. Wining state both years.
