Chris Rehrig remembered when he first joined the Northampton track program as a freshman, mainly due to the persuasion of a friend.

"A friend of mine talked me into it," recalled Rehrig. "It was a little bit more fun than I thought it would be. I thought it would be difficult just worrying about running. Actually, it turned out to be exciting.

"When I first started, I was trying to keep up with the seniors and I was always behind. But as the years passed, I got close to the front."

Now, three years later, Rehrig is among the seniors on the K-Kids' squad this spring. He is looking to improve on his time in the 200 and 400. He finished 11th at the Lehigh Valley Conference league meet and 18th at the PIAA District 11 meet in the 400 last year.

The groundwork for his success in the 400, as well as the 100, can be traced back to his sophomore year, where he sharply rebounded after a freshman year marred by illness.

"During my freshman year, I was sick a lot," he remembered. "It didn't work out like I thought it would. But sophomore year was a good year for me. I worked on lowering my times and everything started clicking.

"Last season, everything really came together."

Head coach Tim Caffrey believed Rehrig would succeed due to his will and determination.

"Chris (Rehrig) is a very hard worker," said Caffrey. "He (Rehrig) goes out and does what you need him to do. He is very disciplined. He had a good indoor season during the winter, and we expect him to do well this spring."

Rehrig, who also has been a member of the K-Kids' soccer program over the past four seasons, credits Al Hornyak, his youth soccer coach, for helping mold his ambitions in his life.

"He (Hornyak) was a huge inspiration to me," noted Rehrig. "He helped me athletically and academically."

Along with being a part of the Kids' track and soccer programs, Rehrig is a member of the school's SADD club and the National Honor Society. He plans to attend Misericordia University next fall to take the initial steps toward a career in physical therapy. When he isn't playing sports, Rehrig enjoys deer hunting.

With the track season just under way, Rehrig plans to methodically lower his times throughout the season, working toward hitting the right stride at league and district times.

It could be a totally different finish to his career that began on a whim four years ago.

"I really don't have a schedule of what I need to do, but I want to keep my times down," said Rehrig. "It will be a matter of peaking at the right time for the league and districts."