Around Iredell Sports

2008 Jun-11

Daywalt’s place in history secure at Statesville

Despite dealing with a host of injuries in her senior season, Statesville’s Jordan Daywalt easily won her second straight 3A state pole vault championship — and almost set a state record in the process.

By Brad Norman

There’s no question the now-graduated Jordan Daywalt left her mark at Statesville.

Several of them, actually.

“I painted this whole school,” said Daywalt, who works with a paint company part-time during the summer. “I painted the field house down by the football field, I painted the press box. Pretty much everything.”

Daywalt is known more for her successes in athletics, though, and the school record she set in the pole vault could stand long after her paint job begins to chip and fade away.

Daywalt, the 2008 R&L county girls track and field athlete of the year, is easily the best pole vaulter — and perhaps field athlete — in school history.

She won her second consecutive state title this season, pulverizing her competition. Daywalt was also just a few precious inches away from breaking the state pole vault record of 12 feet, 1 inch, a jump she attempted at the state meet.

“If it was at 12-1, I would have gotten it, but it was 12-1 1/2 to break the record,” Daywalt said. “If I could have just turned my body at the end, I would have had it.”

Even without the state record, Daywalt’s performance was superb. Especially given the circumstances.

Daywalt started the season two weeks late due to the basketball playoffs, missing valuable practice time.

Then came the injuries. She sprained her chest, back and neck playing dodgeball, and the pain in her left shin that developed during hoops season became more uncomfortable.

“I knew something was wrong even at the first of year,” Statesville pole vaulting instructor Ronnie Milam said. “She had a noticeable limp a lot of days, so I finally insisted she get checked out.”

A visit to the orthopedic doctor revealed fractures on Daywalt’s left tibia. She was forced to wear a walking boot and was allowed a limited number of practice jumps.

“At Regionals, I allowed her five jumps,” Milam said. “At states, I think I was going to give her six. We just let her jump as little as possible. And of course, it’s quite a handicap. If Jordan was healthy, , she could have possibly gone for the national record.

“I played college football and have been around sports all my life. She’s possibly the best athlete I’ve ever seen,” Milam added, noting it would be either Daywalt or former Dallas Cowboys standout Charlie Waters.

That Daywalt won the state title with fractures in her leg and little practice is a testament to both her natural talent and driven demeanor.

That trait isn’t confined solely to the athletic fields, either, as Daywalt keeps herself active through different activities at school.

“Being the editor of the yearbook, plus class president plus captain of three sports, it’s a whole lot of leadership,” Daywalt said. “Toward the end of the year, it all falls into place.”

Daywalt will attend UNC-Wilmington next year on a track scholarship. But there’s still summer, where Daywalt will likely use a couple of months to recharge.
Well, maybe not.

She will continue to paint in the mornings from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Then she’ll go to the YMCA for a few hours and will end the night working a late shift at Logan’s Steakhouse.

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Daywalt’s place in history secure at Statesville

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