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Prep Roundup
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• Public Schools • North Iredell High School • top story
2008 May-16
State meet, prom will keep Morris busyBy Brad Norman
It’s going to be a hectic weekend for Jasmine Morris. She will be locked in on performing well in the 200-meter run and long jump Friday at the 3A track and field championship meet, held at North Carolina A&T. Her mindset will then give way to hairdos and formal wear hours later. Morris’ senior prom is Saturday, and her carefully crafted prom plans went up in smoke when she learned the date of this year’s state track championships. “I had it set for having my hair done on Friday and having my nails done Saturday,” Morris said. “But since I have track (today), I won’t be able to get that done. Now I have to cram in when I’m going to get my shoes, when I’m going to get my hair and nails done. ... I can’t get stuff done before because it will mess up or slow me down.” Then she paused to catch her breath and flashed a big grin. “But it’s OK because I made states.” Qualifying for the state meet provides a fitting bookend to Morris’ track career at North - she also qualified as a freshman in the 400-meter run. She and fellow North senior Cuadarius Teasley will be two of 33 county athletes competing for individual state championships. Morris earned her spot in both the long jump and 200-meter dash after placing first and third, respectively, at the 3A West Regional. “I was a little disappointed at the way I performed,” Morris said. “My shin started hurting me and that was tough. I was really excited about long jump, though. I pushed hard to get that one.” Morris actually decided before the regional race to not run the 200-meter, but changed her mind at the last moment. “I was about to drop the 200,” Morris said. “Then I just decided to run all three, and if I feel too tired in one of them, I’ll just do a false start.” She was rewarded with a berth in the state meet, but the long jump has been Morris’ most successful event this season. She focused primarily on running the 400-meter and relay events her first two years at North and turned to long jump as a junior to keep herself busy. “Long jump is a speed event, and I think that’s a big asset to her,” girls track coach Darla Cline said. “She’s been a leader for us this year. She’s one that will tell you the way it is. She’ll give people suggestions on how to make themselves better.” Unique training methods have contributed greatly to Morris’ improvement. Cline is fond of an exercise designed for Morris to focus on jumping higher when she takes off. Cline takes two cinder blocks and sets them up vertically on end near the edge of the sand pit. She then puts the rake used for the pit across the blocks, which forms a kind of rudimentary bridge. Morris has to soar over the obstacle during her practice jumps. This impediment encourages Morris to focus on jumping higher in practice, which should convert to jumping farther during meets. She hopes that will give her an edge today. “Right now, I’m more focused on my long jump, probably,” Morris said. “I feel like I can go farther in the long jump, but I’m still going to try for both of them.” Bookmarkz |
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