What your are your long jump related goals in terms of marks and state championship placements?
"My main goal for this indoor season is to win the State Championship. My goals with marking is to jump 20 feet or farther."
What will your training need to resemble in order to achieve these goals?
"The training that I will need to do in order to achieve these goals is to keep fine-tuning my form in the air and work on my knee drive to push myself forward and farther."
Can you provide some information about your history as an athlete that might have contributed to your success as a long jumper?
"The first sport I played was on an all-boys flag football team, which taught me how to be tough and to compete. Plus, my two older brothers who play football have pushed me my whole life in sports. After that I played basketball up until this year and it taught me how to work with a team and how to handle pressure and adversity. I fully believe both of these sports contributed to me becoming a better track and field athlete."
How did you feel about the way you performed in the long jump event during middle-school and during your freshman year of high school? Also, when did you start to realize that this might be something you could be really good at?
"The first time I jumped was in the Junior Olympics in the third grade and I ended up winning my first meet, which made me think I should continue to try it out. Middle-school is when I really became serious about the long jump event. I won my first state meet in 7th grade and that pushed me to keep going and to keep working. My freshman year was successful and I'm proud of what I accomplished. I would have liked to end up as the state champion, but the fact that I didn't has made me push to work even harder this year."
You also compete regularly in the 60 and the 200. Do you feel like these events enhance your jumping?
"The other events that I participate in, help me in different ways. The 60 helps to get me ready and make my legs feel fully warmed-up for the long jump. The 200 enhances my endurance, which will especially help me later in the season when I'm at meets and transitioning from event to event."
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