Canadian track athlete Savannah Sutherland, 400 m hurdles NCAA champion, is a name synonymous with the Canadian track and field community. She has recently appeared in the NCAA Indoor Championship and what a race. She ran her season best, finishing the 400m dash in 51.65 seconds, and finished second in the heat and fifth overall. Though she couldn’t reach the podium in finals, Sutherland stayed behind with just 0.24 seconds of her career best.

These ups and downs are part of the game, but one thing is certain: there is always someone backing an athlete to do more. Who can be that person?? Well, it can be anyone—partners, siblings, parents—but still a coach is a constant force behind any athlete to help them learn the nuances of the game. Let’s dive deep into Savannah Sutherland’s coach, who builds confidence in her.

Meet Steven Rajewsky: Savannah Sutherland’s coach

Meet Steven Rajewsky — the man guiding Savannah Sutherland to the top of her game. Hailing from the small town of Blue Earth, Minnesota, Steven’s journey in athletics kicked off early. He graduated from Blue Earth Area High School back in 2000, and it wasn’t long before he took his talents to the University of St. Thomas. There, he didn’t just earn a degree in sociology — he made a name for himself on the track too. In 2003, he became a provisional NCAA Championship qualifier and snagged six All-Conference honors in the 400 meters. Safe to say, speed was always his thing.

After hanging up his spikes, Steven didn’t stray far from the track. He jumped straight into coaching, landing a role as an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota from 2004 to 2006. And he didn’t waste any time making an impact. That coaching team was named Big Ten Coaching Staff of the Year in 2006 — and Steven had a major hand in that success. He helped develop six Big Ten Champions, three Big Ten Freshmen of the Year, six NCAA All-Americans, and even coached an NCAA Champion. Not bad for a guy just getting started, right?

Steven Rajewsky’s career highlights and achievements

After his time at Minnesota, Steven kept the momentum going at Kent State University, where he took charge of sprints, hurdles, and relays. And once again, he made his mark. Under his leadership, the men’s sprints and hurdles crew played a huge role in securing Kent State’s first-ever Mid-American Conference Indoor Championship. Two of his athletes, Curtis Eaton and Princeton Bryson, walked away with big honors — Track Performer of the Meet and Most Valuable Athlete. Clearly, Steven had a knack for unlocking potential.

Fast forward to 2012, and Steven found a new home at the University of Michigan. Since then, he’s been the go-to guy for sprinters and hurdlers — and his impact has been nothing short of game-changing. Just look at what he’s done with Savannah Sutherland. In 2023 alone, she won a Big Ten title, an NCAA title, a Canadian national title, and even earned a spot at the World Championships in the 400m hurdles. Oh, and her time? A blazing 54.45 seconds — setting a new U23 Canadian record, a Michigan school record, and ranking among the top 10 times in the world that year. And people have definitely taken notice. In 2023, Steven was named the Great Lakes Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year — not once, but twice, after both the indoor and outdoor seasons. His athletes were major point-scorers too, racking up 58 of Michigan’s 139 total points at the outdoor championships.

But what really sets Steven apart is his approach. He’s not just about medals and records — though those are nice. He’s all about developing well-rounded athletes, both on and off the track. From his own days as a standout runner to becoming a highly respected coach, Steven’s passion for the sport shines through in everything he does. And for athletes like Savannah Sutherland, having someone like him in their corner makes all the difference.

Who else had Steven Rajewsky coached besides Savannah Sutherland?

While Savannah Sutherland may be one of Steven Rajewsky’s standout success stories, she’s far from the only one. As the sprints and hurdles coach at the University of Michigan, Steven has worked with a whole lineup of incredibly talented athletes — and helped them shine on some of the biggest stages.

Take Aasia Laurencin, for example. Under Steven’s guidance, she became a regular at the NCAA Championships, both indoors and out. She dominated the Big Ten scene too, grabbing titles in the 60-meter hurdles and defending her crown in the 100-meter hurdles. Talk about consistency. Then there’s Dubem Amene — a 400-meter specialist who’s been breaking records left and right. He won a Big Ten Indoor title and set Michigan’s program records in the 400 meters, both indoors (45.75) and outdoors (45.36). And if that wasn’t impressive enough, he also repped Nigeria at the 2024 Olympics in the 4×400-meter relay.

Ziyah Holman is another name worth knowing. She snagged back-to-back Big Ten titles in the 400 meters, indoors and outdoors, and played a huge role in Michigan’s team scores. She’s also made waves internationally, winning silver in the 400 and gold in the 4×400 at the NACAC U23 Championships for Team USA. Let’s not forget Joshua Zeller, who finished third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 110-meter hurdles. He also competed for Great Britain at the European U23 Championships, finishing a strong fifth. That’s no small feat.

And of course, there’s Taylor McLaughlin, one of the top 400-meter hurdlers to come through Michigan. He clocked a blazing 48.85 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships — the fastest time ever run by a Wolverine during the collegiate season. So yeah, Steven Rajewsky has coached a lot of stars. And with the way he’s shaping talent, there’s no doubt he’s got even more rising to the top.