South Brunswick Student Named Gatorade NJ X-C Player Of The Year

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Vidhur Polam from South Brunswick High School was recently named Gatorade New Jersey Boys Cross Country Player of the Year.

Polam is the first student from South Brunswick High School to be chosen for this award.

“I learned of the award when I was in school at around 8 a.m. I was so happy,” Polam told Patch.

The award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence but also high standards of academic achievement and “exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.”

Polam maintained a 4.43 GPA in the classroom while excelling in sports.

“I try to maintain a good balance between academics and athletics,” he said. “I compartmentalize — when I’m at school I only think about school. When I’m running, that all I can think about. It’s good to be proactive too.”

Polam is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Player of the Year award.

Wilfredo Rivera, Polam’s coach said the senior is a “determined and focused individual.”

“He’s a hard worker. He wants to get better and he is willing to make the sacrifices,” said Rivera.

The 5-foot-11, 130-pound athlete played soccer before he turned his attention to track and field. “Soccer athletes can convert to track easily. And Polam did the hard work,” said Rivera.

The coach said the award was special because it came at a time when COVID-19 disrupted many sporting events in the state and nationally.

“Our season got canned last year. But we still gave training to students. Vidhur stayed motivated and never missed a beat.”

For Polam, the pandemic did pose a few challenges with training. But they were overcome with time and planning.

“Last summer, I couldn’t meet my team too much. But I did train with a few guys. There were restrictions in place and special pods were created. It was a slow process, but we adapted,” he said.

Rivera believes that Polam is a "great example for the younger generation” at the school district.

“This award is a big deal for us. We want to highlight the achievements of our kids at a time when so much is going on with COVID-19,” said Rivera.

When not in school or on the track field, Polam loves hanging out with friends, playing spikeball, and cooking.

“I’ve been cooking a lot over the past year. I even made fresh pasta – from scratch,” he said.

School Superintendent Scott Feder said the district was proud of Polam’s accomplishments.

“Vidhur is a very hard-working student,” said Feder.

“We are so proud of his accomplishments and know he will succeed in whatever he does. We are thrilled that he is a member of our school community."

This fall, the teen is headed to the University of Pennsylvania. But before he leaves, he hopes to “stamp his legacy” in South Brunswick.

“I want to make my district proud,” he said. “It’s important to have an impact in a bigger way than just running fast.”

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