Profiles Page
"Profiles and interviews of key members of the Shaker Running Programs"
CHRIS HERMAN
2/28/10: Shaker senior Chris Herman is difficult to describe in a few words. He may be best known for his outstanding performances as a star middle distance runner on the Track team. 
Yet he is also a serious student who enjoys “techno-music” and dancing. Last year as a junior, he sent a message to Section 2 competitors that he would be a top 800M runner with career best performances in big meets late in the season. Last year he was named “Outstanding Middle Distance Runner” on the undefeated Shaker Track team and he was also named to the Suburban Council All-Stars for his 800M performances. During this year’s Indoor season, he was part of the Distance Medley Relay team that set a new Shaker school record in that event. In the recent Eastern States Championship, Chris finished a close third in his 800M race and then came back within an hour as part of the Shaker 4x400M relay that set a school record and ran the second fastest indoor time in the history of Section 2. He is the second member of the Herman family to earn a place in the Shaker Track & Field record books. He is the nephew of 1970’s Shaker record holder and former Athletic Director Dave Herman.
Chris is currently within about one second of this season’s fastest Section 2 times in the 800M and 600M. He is among a group of seniors who have been extremely successful in their relays over the past couple years and which is a direct result of their talent and strong work habits. He recently qualified for the New York State Championship meet as an individual in the 600M and as part of the 4x400M relay. In mid-March, he will travel with several of his teammates to compete in the Nike Indoor Nationals in Boston. As he completes his senior year and his high school running career, he will also be choosing the college that will best match his athletic and academic goals for the future. Shakerrunning recently interviewed Chris Herman to learn more about him and his plans for the future...Full Profile and Interview
MATT CONTI
1/24/10: 
There are many adjectives that come to mind when Shaker senior Matt Conti's name is mentioned. Confident, determined, talented, focused, and competitive just to name a few. As Coach Couture mentioned at last year's Track Banquet, Matt Conti is one of those guys that you want running your anchor leg in a relay because he refuses to lose. For Indoor Track, he holds the Shaker 300M grade record for three different grades and the 400M grade record for sophomores and juniors. Last year, he was a member of the 4x400M relay team that established a school record and was a member of the Distance Medley Relay team that just recently set a new school indoor record in that event. For Outdoor Track, he holds the 400M grade record for 9th, 10th and 11th grade and was a member of the 4x400M relay team that set a new school record last year with Matt running an amazing anchor leg against several strong competitors. He was a key contributor last year as the Shaker Indoor and Outdoor Track teams swept the local Championship meets and brought home sectional titles in both seasons...Full Profile and Interview
RYAN EGAN
(11/1/09) Ryan Egan’s running success has improved dramatically in the last couple years. The distance runner has been a member of the Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track teams every year since he was a freshman at Shaker. While his performances early in high school could be described as ordinary, he began to show signs of his potential during his sophomore year. Last year as a junior, Ryan emerged as a valuable contributor to the team’s success. He qualified as an individual for the New York State Cross Country Championships with a strong performance over the Saratoga course at the Section 2 Championships last year. During last year’s Indoor season, his contributions as a member of Shaker relay teams at Eastern States in February and at the NSIC Meet in March helped propel the team to strong performances. During the Outdoor season in 2009, Ryan’s versatility as a runner led to several major accomplishments. He was the individual Suburban Council Champion in the 1600M, he ran legs on the winning 4x800M and 4x1600M relays at the Ithaca Relays and was a member of the Shaker 4x800M relay team that qualified for the New York State Championship meet. As he moves through his final season of Cross Country, his name continues to move higher on the All-time performance lists for Shaker runners. His winning performance at the Albany County Championships was the second fastest time ever recorded by a Shaker athlete over the Colonie Town Park course. Among individual Shaker runners, he moved to #5 all-time at Saratoga State Park, #6 all-time at Grout and #7 all-time at Van Courtlandt Park in the Manhattan Invitational. His relaxed manner has supported his role as the leader of a young Shaker team that has continued to improve throughout the season. Shakerrunning.com recently interviewed Ryan Egan to learn more about this student athlete who continues to steadily improve with the experience he gains as he moves through his final year of high school. Shakerrunning.com recently interviewed Ryan...Full Profile and Interview
EBUBE ABARA
(6/21/09)-There are few athletes in Shaker history who have impacted a sports team as much as Ebube Abara has done in his two years at the High School. His easygoing manner and amazing talent have made him a popular leader and role model, despite his short time at Shaker. Over the last two years, he has a long list of accomplishments that were key factors in helping the Shaker Indoor and the Shaker Outdoor Track & Field teams win their first Sectional titles in decades. As a junior last year, he set a school Indoor record in the 300M and 11th grade records in the 55M Hurdles and the 400M. A couple of months later in the outdoor season he tied a 37-year old school record in the 200M. During his senior year, he added to the impressive list with a new school record in the 110M Hurdles and the second fastest time in Shaker history in the 400M Hurdles outdoors. He is a member of the school record indoor 4x400M relay team and also the school record outdoor 4x200M relay team and the school record 4x400M relay team. He qualified in two individual events and as a member of the 1600 relay team for the New York State meet earlier this month. Ebube was named as MVP of the undefeated Outdoor Track & Field team in recognition of his outstanding performances and unselfish commitment to the team. He has also announced that he will be attending the University at Albany next year and run Indoor and Outdoor track. Shakerrunning recently interviewed Ebube....Full Profile and Interview
CRAIG WEISS
(5/4/09)-Early in his senior year at Shaker, Craig Weiss was selected as the Most Valuable Athlete on the Cross Country team while also being named one of the top scholar athletes for his performance in the classroom. As he nears the end of his high school running career, his accomplishments as an athlete are impressive. He holds the Shaker school records in the 3000M Steeplechase and as a member of the Indoor 4 x 1 mile relay team. He was a member of the Cross Country team with the fastest ever Shaker time at the Manhattan Invitational and also at the Section 2 Championships. He has the second fastest individual time ever run by a Shaker athlete at the Colonie Town Park and the third fastest time ever run by a Shaker athlete at Saratoga State Park. Craig has developed into a quiet leader who is ready to help and support others. He can be found after practice helping prepare a young runner for his first steeplechase or at the annual elementary mile run encouraging the young athletes competing in their first race. He recently decided to continue his studies and his running career at the University at Albany. Craig recently agreed to answer questions for shakerrunning.com...Full Profile and Interview
COACH STADTLANDER
Coach David Stadtlander has been involved with the Shaker Track program for the past 10 years. One of the school’s most popular coaches, he can usually be found on Saturday mornings during November running alongside the Shaker distance runners at the Colonie Town Park. Even on those long one hour runs, he will often create word games to make it fun and help distract runners from the cold and discomfort…all before he serves up a breakfast of bagels and bananas as a reward. He can also be found every year participating with his Shaker team at the Troy Turkey Trot…a race he began running while growing up in Lansingburgh outside of Troy. His enthusiasm, encouragement, knowledge and concern for his team have contributed to the success of the Shaker track teams for the past decade. While always trying to bring out the best performance from each athlete, Coach never stops trying to develop the best in each person. Coach Stadtlander recently agreed to be interviewed for shakerrunning.com.....Full Profile and Interview
RJ SNIFFEN Class of 2008
1/22/08-Senior R.J. Sniffen is in the middle of his final year as a Shaker runner. During his scholastic career, he has earned a reputation as one of the most outstanding runners in school history. As an 8th grader, he was a member of the Championship Freshman Cross Country team at the Manhattan Invitational in 2003. The next year, he completed the Freshman XC course at Colonie Town Park in the fastest time (7:51) ever run by a Shaker freshman. As part of the Shaker XC team that won the Championship at the Manhattan Invitational in 2006, he ran the 2nd fastest time (12:46) ever by a Shaker runner at Van Cortlandt Park. He completed the SPAC course at the 2007 Sectional meet in the 2nd fastest time (15:25) ever by a Shaker runner over that course. In early 2007, he was part of the Distance Medley Relay that set a new Shaker Indoor school record. He recently completed the mile at the New Balance Games in NYC in a near school Indoor record time of 4:20:86 (See video below interview). His easy smile and strong work ethic have made him a popular team leader. R.J. recently answered questions for Shakerrunning.com about himself and his running...Full Profile and Interview