155710451
Through his battles with cerebral palsy, Mark Ziegler has encountered occasions where confidence has seemed inconstant, but he has never wavered from striving to strengthen his athletic acumen. The renowned runner and resident of the 2500 block of South Chadwick Street will continue to court coaching greatness tomorrow and Saturday when leading the Roman Catholic High School track and field team in two events at the Penn Relays.
“I have great expectations for us,” the 23-year-old said of helming his alma mater’s efforts in the 4X100 Large Schools and 4X400 Philadelphia Catholic League races. “We’ve already done quite well this year, so I’m excited to see what we can pull off.”
The Marconi inhabitant is enjoying his first full season as the Cahillites’ main man, having landed his position in May as the outfit wrapped up its outdoor campaign. A “student of the sport,” he has called on his knowledge to help his charges to set seven school records. Having participated in the Franklin Field-situated carnival as a Roman Catholic senior, he will revel in his return and expects the experience to contribute to a fantastic outdoor slate.
“I’m enthused about what we can achieve,” Ziegler said of their endeavors, noting he hopes the teenagers go under 44 seconds in their premier event and below 3:30 for the other. “The guys have the mindsets to be winners, and I respect and admire their tenacity.”
Through his stint as an assistant coach, he had known the roster members and came to his position with a solid plan on what he could contribute to their growth. As most of the youths perform indoor and outdoor duties, he has intensified his bonds with them and belief in himself.
“This school has a great history with regards to track and field,” he said. “I felt fortunate to contribute to it as a student, and now I’m thrilled to make progress as a coach, too.”
Though evolving has become his mission, Ziegler began his journey needing to adapt to his surroundings, as his situation initially proved a frustrating cross to bear. His cerebral palsy diagnosis came shortly after he attempted to crawl, with his parents suspecting something was off. He supposes being born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck could have caused the condition, but regardless of its origins, he has waged a tireless quest not to let it run his patience ragged.
“It affects my left side,” he said. “I’ve had to compensate numerous times, but I think I’m a better person because, most of the time, I’ve been mindful of needing to proceed and get on with my life.”
A graduate of St. Monica School, 16th and Porter streets, he confessed that his elementary school years often tested his resolve, as he engaged in up to three hours of physical therapy until seventh or eighth grade. Requiring medicine for epilepsy, too, until the end of his time at the Marconi institution, he gained a definite sense of his religion’s promotion of persistence in the face of annoyance but often grew tired of portraying a contented child.
“I had a negative mindset very often,” Ziegler said. “I’d say it stuck with me until I attended Roman.”
Through his brother Steven’s best friend, also the school’s track and field team captain, he learned of the squad and decided to try out.
“I wasn’t really drawn to running at first,” he said. “It seemed a challenge and I don’t believe I was ultra confident in myself at the start.”
As his condition had essentially kept him from engaging in team sports, Ziegler rejoiced in the group aspect of his new vocation and cherished establishing relationships with his peers. He became so engrossed in strengthening the unit’s camaraderie that he came to love their bonds more than cross-country, his first pursuit. The slowest competitor during his freshman year, he made the final three seasons exercises in excellence, even scoring an All-Catholic indoor relay selection.
“From junior year on, I was committed to giving my best,” he said. “I went from someone who worried about pushing himself to a person who thrived on it.”
He garnered more gusto at Gwynedd Mercy University, where, just as at Roman, he participated in cross-country and indoor and outdoor track and field all four years. Part of a quartet of cross-country conference championship squads, he again proved that individuals can approach invincibility if they summon all their defenses against their afflictions.
“I don’t really think of myself as a trailblazer,” Ziegler said of his output. “I’m just trying to make use of my gifts.”
Sharing his wisdom has meant a great deal to the young man, also a counselor at a Bucks County site. Always interested in coaching, he has enjoyed watching his successors approach their chores with as much care as he did his. No matter what the Penn Relays yields, he intends to welcome each day as a chance to encourage people to persist and insist on applying themselves for the betterment of society.
“I started out under tough circumstances,” Ziegler, whose competitive career includes two Broad Street Run efforts and the 2012 Philadelphia Marathon, said. “Kind of like in running, though, I suppose, it’s not how you start but how you finish that really counts.”
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
155710471
155710461
