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Nicolet National Bank Senior Spotlight: Alex Bartle – Green Bay Southwest track and field, cross country  

Alex Bartle, a recent graduate at Green Bay Southwest High School, ran track and cross country. Submitted Photo

By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor


GREEN BAY – Alex Bartle, a varsity track and field and cross country athlete, is a recent graduate of Green Bay Southwest High School.

Born in Green Bay, Alex, the son of Carl and Elizabeth Bartle, also spent three years of his early life living overseas in Germany.

“My mom was born here, but met my dad in Colorado,” he said. “My dad went to the University of Washington and was stationed in Colorado through the ROTC (Reserve Offices’ Training Corps) program. I also lived in Washington for a few years, and we finally settled back in Green Bay in 2009.”

Bartle was also a member of the cross country team for the last three years of his Southwest career.

“Cross country was much different from track,” he said. “I’m more of a sprinter, so I joined cross country to try something different and stay in shape. I did okay, and it was fun. It’s a great sport and assessable for anyone to try. I also considered football, but I’m a small guy and never summoned the strength to join. Maybe I could have been a wide receiver.”

Bartle ran track under head coach Justin Short, who said his senior sprinter would’ve had a good chance to qualify for the WIAA Division 1 state meet this year in the 200-meter dash had the season not been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Alex also would have helped our relay teams again this year,” Short said. “He was involved in other school activities and is a well-rounded individual.”

Bartle said he has mutual respect for his coach.

“Coach was always trying to find new ways to make everyone a better athlete,” said Bartle, who has two younger brothers, Will and Henry. “He’s inspiring, creative and it was fun running for him.”

Bartle also ran the 400 dash and 300 hurdles and high jumped once.

“I tried anything I was asked,” he said. “The 400 and 300 hurdles are similar. Even though the 300 hurdles is a shorter race, if you add in the fact you have to jump, they are comparable.”

Bartle, who describes himself as determined, open-minded and friendly, said the team practiced a few times this spring before things got canceled.

“I was looking forward to this season and trying to qualify for state,” he said. “I was hoping we’d go back to school – even for a week – and have a track season in the summer.”

Bartle is on the waiting list at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but also might attend UW-Eau Claire to study history or English.

He said his most memorable sports moment was also embarrassing.

“In the eighth-grade, I was doing the 100 hurdles,” Bartle said. “I was in the lead and tripped and fell near the end. I had a big lead and would have won. It was devastating for me, but I got up and finished. That moment always stayed in my head, and it proves you need to fight on in life, even when something like that happens. It was a silly mistake, but it was a lesson learned.”

Bartle also said his team’s relay victory at the Green Bay City Meet last year was memorable.

He likes cheeseburgers, Culver’s restaurant, watching track and field in the Olympics, Snapchat and chocolate ice cream.

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