Christensen leaves running legacy at Stillwater High School

One of the most successful coaching eras in Minnesota high school sports history drew to a close this past spring when Stillwater’s Scott Christensen stepped aside as the Ponies head coach of the Boys Cross Country and Boys Track and Field teams. While the affable and always-engaging Christensen doesn’t call it a retirement, he vows to stay involved in other ways.

Ryan Miller, his assistant coach the past 10 years, has taken over head coaching duties of the Ponies running program. He is a 2008 graduate and ran for Christensen before competing at St. John’s University in Collegeville.

“There’s no denying I’ll miss the thrill of the big moments,” Christensen told Stu Groskreutz of the Stillwater Gazette. “We’ve had so many big moments here. It’s just been so many numerous examples of track meets where we’ve just taken over the last third of the meet and powered through to a championship. I’ll miss the momentum of sports. The getting on a roll and just a group of guys working together to accomplish something in the moment.”

Since taking over the Ponies running program in 1981, Christensen has guided Stillwater to 60 section championships, 31 in cross country and 29 in track and field. Along the way, the Ponies have captured 10 Minnesota State High School League state championships, too, five in cross country and five more in track and field. Stillwater was the True Team track and field state champion three times. He has coached 24 state champions, and in 1998, guided Stillwater to a national cross country championship.

Christensen, who retired from teaching biology in 2012, says he will continue to coach and mentor athletes and coaches through the USA Track and Field programs. Christensen was a prep standout runner at Lakeville High School and then at Gustavus Adolphus College.

“I felt pride all the way along,” Christensen told the Stillwater Gazette. “I was proud the whole time it was all happening. I have cried more times than you can ever imagine and it was never out of anything other than the kids just made me so proud of how and what they did. I don’t have to look back, because I was proud the whole time.”